Senate Budget Committee Hearings Underway

A Senate budget committee hearing on the House plan to balance Kentucky’s Medicaid budget got underway today in Frankfort.  Health and Family Services Secretary Janie Miller has been on the hot seat for several hours, defending the administration’s ability to produce hundreds of millions of dollars in managed care savings.  Sen. Bob Leeper, who chairs the committee, was asked when the committee might take a vote.“We will have a document out of here in a timely manner and be able to move the process along.  I’m looking forward to going home and getting back to my citizen duties." Leeper Says " So, there’s nobody up here that I know that's dragging this process out.”On Monday, the House voted 94-4 for legislation that lets Gov. Steve Beshear use second year funds to balance Medicaid this year.  Any second year deficit would be covered by savings from managed care.  If Beshear’s plan fails, the House bill includes targeted cuts to state agencies that would have to be made by October 1st.  Counting last weekend...for which lawmakers were paid, even though they did no work...this is day ten of the special session on Medicaid.