Panel cuts Nevada Medicaid and welfare spending plan

Saturday, May 17, 2003 | 8:40 a.m.

CARSON CITY, Nev. - The Assembly Ways and Means Committee on Saturday adopted a subcommittee's plan to save more than $18 million on welfare and $16 million on Medicaid in Nevada's next budget.

The committee saved part of the money in Medicaid by approving cuts in the estimated rate of caseload growth. The plan shows an average of 5,100 less cases monthly in fiscal 2004 and 6,800 less cases monthly in fiscal 2005 than Gov. Kenny Guinn had projected.

Those caseload reductions, coupled with technical adjustments, establishing a preferred drug list and corresponding drops in welfare cases, resulted in a total savings of $15.7 million in state spending on Medicaid, according to Assemblywoman Sheila Leslie, D-Reno.

The committee also accepted Leslie's recommendation on changes to the state's welfare budget resulting in a total savings of $18.4 million over the biennium.

Those savings were also achieved partially by reducing the expected caseload growth in Temporary Assistance to Needy Families. The subcommittee reduced the average monthly caseload by 7,400 cases for fiscal 2004 and 10,825 cases for 2005, for a savings of $13.8 million over the biennium.

The committee also cut 11 new positions recommended in the governor's budget in welfare administration.

Assemblyman Bob Beers, R-Las Vegas, applauded Leslie's work finding errors in and trimming some fat from the governor's budget recommendation, but said the changes didn't go far enough.

"It sounds like a nice cut from a preposterous proposal, so I'm going to be voting against this," Beers said.

Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani, D-Las Vegas, said making the appropriate changes is necessary, but the money goes to a good cause.

"Our economy's still not on the upswing and we need to realize people may be needing the services that the government charges taxes for in the first place," Giunchigliani said.

In other action, Ways and Means unanimously approved continuing a child welfare integration plan, transferring 160 state employees to Clark County to handle child welfare cases.

The committee approved funding of nearly $100 million to provide child welfare services through Washoe and Clark counties over the next two years.