Block Grants for Medicaid?

Governor Barbour is advocating block grants for state Medicaid programs, under the auspices that states need the freedom and flexability to design Medicaid programs around each states' unique needs.  The trouble with this proposal is that it ignores the fact that states routinely ignore the requirements of Medicaid coverage law now.  For example, Mississippi is currently disqualifying individuals for Medicaid for a couple of months for hiring a lawyer to assist with planning their estates and assisting with the Medicaid application and qualification process, despite no authority under federal law for such a position (Mississippi is alone amonth the 50 states to take such an absurd position).  The policy is a thinly veiled attempt to discourage people from recieving legal advice from competent lawyers.  The state has bragged over the past several years of cutting its Medicaid rolls through requiring in-person interviews for all Medicaid renewals.  The Medicaid rolls drop because people are unable to attend the meetings, not because they suddenly became over-resourced or became too well to need the services.  If states are given more freedom to administer block grants, one could be assured that states would take even more absurd positions outside of the restritctions of Federal law.  While I generally favor placing more autonomy over spending to the states, in the context of the poorest state in the union providing health care serivices to its poorest citizens. 

Comments

[Bucks County Elder Law]

Good post, I wasn't aware of their position on having assistance in preparing. "For example, Mississippi is currently disqualifying individuals for Medicaid for a couple of months for hiring a lawyer to assist with planning their estates and assisting with the Medicaid application and qualification process" Posting this will hopefully open a few eyes. It is always important to have an attorney help you prepare for anything like medicare, medicaid, etc.

[Matthew Karr, Esq.]

Wow, those are truly disturbing actions taken against elder law clients. People need to be informed about their options and there are very few alternatives to going broke for middle class America without planning for long term care. Good post.