“How many people would be eligible in Louisiana?” Senate Finance Committee chairman Jack Donahue asked state health officials Monday.
More than half a million was the response.
“We would say that’s probably worst-case scenario,” DHH Undersecretary Jeff Reynolds added.
But there was more, as the committee was reminded the federal government is reducing Louisiana’s total funding for indigent care, beginning in January 2018.
“If the federal government does follow through, that’s going to continue to put the state in a financial bind, if Medicaid expansion is not accepted, correct?” Donahue asked.
Reynolds said the state is already in a financial bind when it comes to health care, as the current DHH budget is facing a 590-million dollar shortfall.
“You know, the state cannot print money. And once the money runs out, then the payment to the providers stop. That’s just the stark reality of the situation we’re in.”
That’s when you could see the panic set in among committee members, and Senator Francis Thompson of Delhi urged the department to come up with a plan for accepting the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion.
“If we walk out of here without a plan being developed, I feel like we’ve somewhat wasted valuable time,” Thompson said, in all seriousness.
Noting that Governor-elect John Bel Edwards had just named his transition committee for health care that morning, DHH Secretary Kathy Kliebert said the rush to act before the changeover to a new administration was unfair.
“Without knowing what those top priorities of the next administration are, you know, we go down a path that doesn’t make sense for the next administration,” Kliebert protested.
But Chairman Donahue was adamant.
“Come back with a plan that this committee can look at, prior to the first of the year.”