Las Vegas NowLegislative panel revises Nevada's Medicaid funding
Associated Press - May 11, 2009 9:55 PM ET
CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) - A Senate-Assembly panel wrapped up work on a more than $900 million Nevada Medicaid budget, rejecting some of Gov. Jim Gibbons' moneysaving plans and modifying others.
The budget subcommittee agreed to offset state general fund shortfalls by taking nearly $56 million from an account that has been used to help cover county costs of medical care for indigents hurt in car accidents. Gibbons had proposed using that indigent accident account money just for Medicaid.
Sen. Bob Coffin, D-Las Vegas, was the only subcommittee member who voted against the indigent accident account decision, saying the account was originally meant to help smaller counties.
Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno, called the decision on the indigent account "the biggest disappointment" and said that critics who spoke out against the decision had a right to be upset.
Leslie also said the subcommittee went against Gibbons' proposal for Nevada Check Up, an insurance program for children from low-income families, rejecting a cap that would have allowed no more than 25,000 children in each of the next two fiscal years for the program.
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