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Updated: 10:19 AM Jul 12, 2011
12 OYS: States cut Medicaid; will federal government follow?
Both Georgia and South Carolina have slashed the Medicaid budget, and one group says possible federal cuts could further strain states.
Posted: 7:38 AM Jul 12, 2011Reporter: Bryan Baker Email Address: bryan.baker@wrdw.com |
South Carolina slashed a total of 7 percent in payments to doctors and hospitals for Medicaid. (WRDW-TV / July 11, 2011)
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News 12 at 6 o'clock / Monday, July 11, 2011
The largest Medicaid cut in our area will be in South Carolina, where the state slashed a total of 7 percent in payments to doctors and hospitals. It's the second cut the state has made and is supposed to save the state $125 million.
Georgia is also strained. Facing a Medicaid budget gap of $180 million, the state cut one-half percent and raised co-payments for patients.
But the nonprofit, non-partisan advocacy group Families USA is claiming a Republican plan to further cut Medicaid from the federal budget will further strain states.
The group says a 5 percent cut would risk $670 million in business activity in Georgia and another $410 million in South Carolina. And the group says jobs would suffer -- 4,000 in South Carolina and 5,800 in Georgia. Those projections get worse as the planned Medicaid cuts would swell to 33 percent in 2023.
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