Welfare Watch, an email newsletter of the
Georgia Association of Homes
and Services for Children
as a public service.
http://www.gahsc.org
Normer Adams, Editor
___________________________________
Welfare Watch - August 11, 2010 - The House approves FMAP Extension
The House of Representatives voted late yesterday to extend the enhanced Federal Medicaid funds due to expire at the end of this fiscal year. The $26.1 billion package gives states like Georgia some breathing room from their economic problems. Without these enhanced Medicaid funds, Georgia would have been looking at even more drastic budget cuts, layoffs, and service reductions to children and families.
Georgia is not alone in their Medicaid straits. Three fifths of the states had already factored federal money into their budgets. The National Governors Association was supportive of this legislation.
The word is that President Obama plans to sign the bill as soon as possible. This legislation will provide the states with an additional six months of federal assistance. A total of $10 billion will go for education assistance and about $16 billion will go to fill gaps in the states' Medicaid budgets, which have been placed upon them by the increasing demand on health programs for the poor.
If this measure will be enough for Georgia to survive this economic crisis without further pain to its vulnerable citizens has not been determined. This is the right first step in assistance from the nation's capital. Without these measures, draconian cuts to services will have to happen or additional revenue sources from Georgia will have to be found. Georgia by law cannot have a budget deficit.
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Welfare Watch, an email newsletter of the
Georgia
Association of Homes
and Services for Children
as a public service.
http://www.gahsc.org
Normer Adams, Editor
___________________________________
The Georgia Conference on Children and Families
Legacy Lodge,