Medicaid coalition plans budget strategy

13 January 2012

The Medical Society of Virginia (MSV) is again partnering with other health care groups to urge legislators to make health care funding a priority as it prepares the budget for fiscal years 2013-2014. While the budget introduced by Gov. Bob McDonnell did not cut physician provider payments, the governor did not hold harmless hospitals and nursing homes. Current Medicaid reimbursements for physicians and other providers are already below the cost of care. The Medicaid coalition, which includes the Virginia Hospital and Health Care Association (VHHA) and the Virginia Health Care Association (VHCA, which represents nursing and assisted living facilities), has said that any reductions put patient access to care at significant risk.

The coalition has been strategizing about approaches to the budget as both the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees will have the opportunity to offer their own amendments to the governor’s budget. MSV, VHHA and VHCA will be meeting with members of these committees to seek their support for health care priorities.