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Senator Crapo
CRAPO PUSHES FOR MEDICAID REFORM National Governors testify before Crapo at Senate Finance hearing
Contact: Susan Wheeler
Washington, DC –Idaho Senator Mike Crapo, a member of the Senate Finance Committee, pressed for action in reforming Medicaid during the Committee’s hearing today calling for more sensible policy to better deliver healthcare. Crapo also thanked Governor Mark Warner of Virginia and Governor Mike Huckabee of Arkansas, Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the National Governors Association, respectively, for bringing a well-constructed Medicaid reform proposal before the Committee on behalf of the nation’s governors.
“Medicaid is ready for serious structural reform to provide Idaho and every other state more flexibility to better serve its particular needs,” said Crapo. “Medicaid isn’t one program—it’s fifty diverse programs. We need to make Medicaid more responsive to states’ needs and more transparent for all participants in the program, from those administering benefits to physicians and even pharmacists. We know the problems and inefficiencies within Medicaid, and it’s time that we fix them.” Medicaid is a health insurance program jointly funded by the federal and state governments and provides care to more than 53 million Americans. Rising healthcare costs and growth in spending on Medicaid is becoming an increasing challenge for states to pay for the program. Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne, former Chairman of the National Governors Association and current member of the Executive Committee, helped formulate the to governor’s Medicaid reform recommendation (accessible at www.nga.org).
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