CONGRESS PASSES $700 MILLION MEDICAID RELIEF FOR MISSISSIPPI
Congressional Desk
February 02, 2006
$700 million for Mississippi Medicaid provided in Deficit Reduction Act; House also passes Patriot Act extension and initial lobbying reform measure
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -Today the House passed the Deficit Reduction Act which includes $2 billion in Medicaid relief funding for Hurricane Katrina affected areas. This will provide a projected savings of about $700 million for Mississippi by paying much of the state's Medicaid cost with federal funds.
"This legislation will prevent Katrina's disaster from crippling our Medicaid system and extending more grief into the lives of our elderly and disabled Mississippi residents. As we rebuild our towns, communities and tax base, these funds are essential to maintain critical health care services," said Congressman Chip Pickering who inserted this provision into the legislation in the House Energy and Commerce Committee where he serves as Vice-Chairman.
Bobby Moody, Deputy Director of Administrative Services at the Mississippi Department of Medicaid said, "One of the most important facets of this is the uncompensated care package which we can utilize immediately to get money to health care providers in the most devastated areas of the state. These funds will maintain those providers so they won't be dislocated, and our hospitals and health care providers can continue to treat Mississippians in desperate need."
This is one provision in the Deficit Reduction Act which seeks to increase fiscal restraint in federal spending. The bill has already passed the Senate and will now be presented to President George W. Bush who is expected to sign it.
The House also passed a one month extension to the USA Patriot Act which enables law enforcement and intelligence agencies to continue sharing information to prevent terrorism. The measures extended today allows law enforcement to use the same tools against terrorists currently in use against drug lords and organized crime, and it updates current law enforcement statutes to reflect new technologies and threats.
Today the House also changed internal rules to prevent former Members who have become registered lobbyists from using their lifetime floor privileges and exercise facility benefits to lobby current members of Congress. This is the initial step in a broader and deeper lobbying and ethics reform package the House anticipates passing this year.
(WASHINGTON, D.C.) -Today the House passed the Deficit Reduction Act which includes $2 billion in Medicaid relief funding for Hurricane Katrina affected areas. This will provide a projected savings of about $700 million for Mississippi by paying much of the state's Medicaid cost with federal funds.
"This legislation will prevent Katrina's disaster from crippling our Medicaid system and extending more grief into the lives of our elderly and disabled Mississippi residents. As we rebuild our towns, communities and tax base, these funds are essential to maintain critical health care services," said Congressman Chip Pickering who inserted this provision into the legislation in the House Energy and Commerce Committee where he serves as Vice-Chairman.
Bobby Moody, Deputy Director of Administrative Services at the Mississippi Department of Medicaid said, "One of the most important facets of this is the uncompensated care package which we can utilize immediately to get money to health care providers in the most devastated areas of the state. These funds will maintain those providers so they won't be dislocated, and our hospitals and health care providers can continue to treat Mississippians in desperate need."
This is one provision in the Deficit Reduction Act which seeks to increase fiscal restraint in federal spending. The bill has already passed the Senate and will now be presented to President George W. Bush who is expected to sign it.
The House also passed a one month extension to the USA Patriot Act which enables law enforcement and intelligence agencies to continue sharing information to prevent terrorism. The measures extended today allows law enforcement to use the same tools against terrorists currently in use against drug lords and organized crime, and it updates current law enforcement statutes to reflect new technologies and threats.
Today the House also changed internal rules to prevent former Members who have become registered lobbyists from using their lifetime floor privileges and exercise facility benefits to lobby current members of Congress. This is the initial step in a broader and deeper lobbying and ethics reform package the House anticipates passing this year.
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