Advocates for New Jersey’s poorest residents are bracing for a tough battle starting next week when Gov. Chris Christie unveils a state budget they fear will include painful cuts in Medicaid funding. In recent months, Christie has signaled that sustaining the current level of Medicaid funding is not realistic as the state faces a massive budget deficit, weak revenues and the loss of about $800 million in federal stimulus dollars that were used to prop up the program during the economic downturn.
Across the country, governors in similar financial straits have cut optional Medicaid programs, increased co-pays or reduced how much they reimburse providers.
New Jersey expects to spend about $4.4 billion during the fiscal year than ends June 30 to cover about 1.3 million of the state’s poorest residents. That includes millions for optional services like prescription medicines and dental services.
Advocates fear these services may be on the chopping block.
“We are extremely concerned because these optional services are not optional,” said Lowell Arye, executive director for the Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities. “Other states have cut optional services, and it would not surprise me to see the same thing proposed here.” Read more in Star Ledger.
I voted for Christie to cut the real waste off the budget. Let’s sE him slash all the No show jobs in Govt ,all the no bid contracts,the double dipping politicians , the coRuption in trenton , the bloated pension funds,the liberal environmental regulations ..But why hurt the poor and disatvantaged? if you cut the real waste there wiL be enough for social programs.
As the saying goe you can’t spend what you don’t have.
In our society the poor think that they’re still entitled to everything.
Everyone has to contribute in some way to help our government to try to balance our budget.
there is no reason that jersey care pays for vision or dental care. Even people in higher income brackets have to pay seperately for them as they are not included in medical ins. There is no reason the taxpayers should be paying for all these services while the taxpayer himself cant afford these services themselves.
in theory the govt should not be paying for vision dental etc.. but let’s see the governor slash funding from pols who continue to line their pockets, issue no bid contracts to cronies and legislate ridiculous laws which in turn raises taxes. NJ is in the red beacuse of the politicians pensions and wastefull careless spending.that is the root of the problem.Time for christie to look in the Mirror.
Cut Christie, cut!
Keep it up! The silent majority who live off our own hard work… we support you!
There comes a point, when the government runs out of other people’s money to spend.
It seems that the time has finally arrived.
It is time to realize that government programs are not going to last forever.
One wonders how many of these 1.3 million people are really poor or are just not reporting their true income.
As a follow up to my previous post. NJ’s population based on 2010 census is about 8.8 million. So if 1.3 million are getting medicaid it means that every 7nth person in NJ is on medicaid. Even assuming the census was undercounted something is wrong with this system.
Go Christie! Making it too easy to be poor is exactly why nobody works! It’s way easier to hang out on the streets, get welfare, foodstamps, hud and live the good life! Why bother working?!
As we speak, the new Governor of Wisconsin is getting ready to sack it to the teachers unions in Wisconsin.
The Wisconsin teachers unions are shutting down the sschools in the state, as they protest cuts to their overbloated benefits and pensions.
The people of Wisconsin had enough of budget deficits and the teachers unions, so they voted in the entire Tea Party slate of new candidates.
May G-d be with the Governor of Wisconsin, the new Republican legislature, and the silent majority of Wisconsin citizens who are trying to keep their state from going bankrupt.
And may G-d be with Governor Christie in New Jersey as he continues to fight the teachers unions and the rest of the liberal Democrats, and try to save the great state of New Jersey from going bankrupt like California.
Amen!
Lakewood likes Christie because of his support for school vouchers.
Lakewood dis-likes him when he proposes cuts to Jersey Care.
Lakewood can’t have its cake & eat it too. Pick your battle.
Dear Lakewood bubbe:
Lakewood likes Christie even when he cuts Jersey Care. Because Lakewood sees through the liberal drivel that we are spoon-fed from the liberal media, and we realize that to save our society from bankruptcy and the chaos that would result, we NEED to cut the programs.
Thank you.
Good Job Christie! Social programs is stealing!!!!! It’s a robinhood scheme! Enough is enough!
in all fairness to christie he is fighting corruption double dipping etc
Dear Yid (#11):
Tell this to the myriad of Lakewood families who benefit from Jersey Care because they can’t afford health insurance for their families. The NEED to cut spending will be hurting your friends, family & neighbors so don’t be so flippant about criticizing the “liberal” element that is sustaining hundreds of LW families.
And, yes, everyone wants to see support of School Vouchers. So – how would you balance these needs???