Virginia’s need for a $400 million boost in Medicaid funds “is still very real and hasn’t gone away,” said Gov. Bob McDonnell’s health and human resources chief in pressing Congress to approve the stopgap money.
Dr. Bill Hazel, in an interview with the Washington Examiner, joined a growing chorus of Virginia officials urging the passage of the six-month extension of the stimulus’ Medicaid funding. The measure is headed to conference after passing both the U.S. House and Senate, but its progress has been slowed down by concerns over cost.
The two-year budget state lawmakers finalized last week includes deep cuts to services and health care provider rates that would be reversed if the federal money arrives.
“Virginia would be typical of many states in using that money to plug holes in the budget on social services and Medicaid that we just couldn’t do with our own revenues,” Hazel said.
He pointed to provisions in President Obama’s health care overhaul forcing states to maintain Medicaid eligibility standards, arguing the funds are necessary because “they’ve already told us we’re going to have to do this.”
The question of the Medicaid extension has put McDonnell and other elected Republicans — who have been critical of federal spending — in a tough political spot. Democrats have been quick to level charges of hypocrisy.
“I cannot but note a certain irony in both the governor and the [Republican] majority in the House of Delegates clambering for more stimulus funds when they opposed passage of the legislation a year and a half ago,” said Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va.
Connolly said he expected the Medicaid extension to pass Congress.
“The issue is cost, obviously,” he said. “I think it has a pretty good chance of being extended.”
