RS22849
Medicaid Financing
March 26, 2008
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Summary
Combined federal and state spending on the Medicaid program currently exceeds $300 billion each year. It is the largest or second-largest item in state budgets, and is second only to Medicare in terms of federal spending on health care. This report provides background information on Medicaid financing and a discussion of current issues. Last year, Congress placed temporary moratoriums on the implementation of four controversial regulations that anticipate large reductions in federal spending for Medicaid. Legislation to further delay implementation of these and other regulations has been passed by the Senate (S. 1200) and introduced in both chambers (H.R. 4355, S. 2460, H.R. 5173, S. 2578, H.R. 5613), and deficit-neutral reserve funds have been included for this purpose in the House and Senate budget resolutions (H.Con.Res. 312 and S.Con.Res. 70). In response to the recent economic downturn, legislation that would provide state fiscal relief in the form of a temporary increase in the federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP, which determines federal share of most Medicaid costs) has also been introduced (S. 2586, H.R. 5268, S. 2620).
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Related Legislation:
- S.1200
- H.R.4355
- S.2460
- H.R.5173
- S.2578
- H.R.5613
- S.2586
- H.R.5268
- S.2620
- S.312
- S.CON.RES.70
