Aging population, spending on health costs boost debt, By Maureen Groppe, September 14, 2010, Newark Advocate: ” It’s not difficult to find someone getting a boost from the federal government. They might be sitting across from you at breakfast. Almost half the country lived in households in which at least one person benefited from a federal social welfare or social insurance program in 2008. Some were helped by programs such as food stamps, for which demand increases when the economy sinks. But the Census Bureau said the programs benefiting the most households were Social Security and Medicare, the retirement and health programs for the elderly. Those programs, along with Medicaid, have grown in 40 years from 19 percent of the budget to 39 percent in 2009, more than doubling their share. Costs are going to keep increasing as more baby boomers retire and health care costs continue to increase…”
Day: September 22, 2010
Sentencing and Incarceration of Women – Oklahoma
Oklahoma lawmakers study fallout of high incarceration rate, Associated Press, September 14, 2010, The Oklahoman: “Oklahoma’s strict criminal sentences, especially for women, create hardships for the children of inmates and perpetuate a cycle that often results in the children behind bars themselves, experts warned lawmakers Tuesday. Several child advocates and a criminal justice expert testified before the House Human Services Committee that Oklahoma’s children are paying the price for the state’s tough-on-crime sentencing policies…”
Medicaid Programs – New York, Pennsylvania
- Paterson’s no. 2 calls for Medicaid overhaul, By Anemona Hartocollis, September 19, 2010, New York Times: “Describing Medicaid as a ‘massive program’ whose growth threatens the state’s finances, Lt. Gov. Richard Ravitch is calling for significant changes in New York’s health care benefits for the poor and disabled, lobbing a volatile issue in the midst of the campaign for a new governor. In a report to be released on Monday, Mr. Ravitch says the state should remove control of the rate-setting process for Medicaid, the joint state and federal health insurance program for the poor, from the Legislature to reduce the influence of politics. He also calls for limits on medical malpractice awards and for the re-examination of rules that allow middle-class families to shelter assets so they can qualify for coverage. Although the report does not suggest a cut in benefits, it notes that New York has among the most liberal definitions of eligibility…”
- State’s Medicaid numbers hit record, By Bill Toland, September 21, 2010, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: “More than 2.2 million Pennsylvanians are eligible for Medicaid, the federally mandated, state-managed program that provides health care for people and families who can’t afford care otherwise. It is the highest number on record, representing nearly 18 percent of the population — more than one in six Pennsylvanians — and underscoring the worrisome economic climate and continued difficulty many people have finding jobs and employer-provided insurance. But the swelling Medicaid roster is not just a sign of the economic times. It’s also reflective of growing dependence on state-sponsored health care and safety nets, as well as the increasing cost of health care and long-term care — trends showing few signs of immediate abatement. As a result, the state’s Department of Public Welfare budget, and the need to trim it, have been regular sources of political strife for Gov. Ed Rendell and the state Legislature. The same will remain true for future governors and lawmakers…”