GOP Governors Introduce Medicaid Cost-Cutting Plan

The Republican Governors Association in a report released last week outlined 31 initiatives for cutting Medicaid costs. The proposals include repealing the federal health reform law and its "maintenance of effort" provision, which requires states to maintain current benefit levels; converting Medicaid into a block grant system; and requiring the federal government to "take full responsibility for the uncompensated care costs of treating" undocumented immigrants.

• "To Cut Medicaid Costs, GOP Governors Target Illegal Immigrants" (Adamy, "Washington Wire," Wall Street Journal, 8/30).
• "Republican Governors Announces Proposals To Overhaul Medicaid" (Pecquet, "Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/30).
• "GOP Governors Submit Ideas for Medicaid" (Zigmond, Modern Healthcare, 8/30).