Florida, Wisconsin Lawmakers Debate FY 2008 Budgets

Main Category: Public Health
Article Date: 09 Oct 2007 - 9:00 PDT

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Newspapers recently reported on budget developments in Florida and Wisconsin. Summaries of the coverage appear below.

• Florida: Florida lawmakers on Wednesday began a special session to identify $1.1 billion in funding cuts to the fiscal year 2008 state budget, the Miami Herald reports. Health care cuts being considered include: a $32.6 million reduction in the funding for Florida hospitals that provide care for non-U.S. citizens; reductions in Medicaid reimbursement rates for hospitals, HMOs and nursing homes; cutting money from Alzheimer's disease research; and requiring pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries to receive prior authorization for non-emergency caesarean sections. According to state Senate Democratic Leader Steve Geller, many Democrats will reject the proposals because the Republican-controlled Legislature refused to consider alternatives, such as restoring a tax on stocks and bonds or expanding taxable gambling. He said that the state Republicans "have given us a false choice," adding, "They have told us the only options we have is cut more from education or from health services, or let dangerous prisoners out of jail" (Klas et al., Miami Herald, 10/3).
  
  
• Wisconsin: Wisconsin has been operating without a state budget for the past 13 weeks, but Democrats warn that if no budget is passed soon, cuts would have to be made to health care services and other programs, the AP/Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports. The Democratic-controlled state Senate in June passed a budget that included a $15.2 billion universal health coverage plan, while the Republican-led Assembly in July passed a budget that was $10 billion less than the Senate proposal. Gov. Jim Doyle (D) said that without additional state funding, Wisconsin's drug discount program would face a more than $9 million deficit over the next two years, which could result in higher drug prices for seniors. Doyle and legislative Democrats also had proposed a series of tax increases to expand health insurance. Doyle does not support the Democrats' health plan. State Democrats have unveiled a plan to require that lawmakers negotiate until a budget is proposed, or be arrested (Bauer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10/4).

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