Flying Under the Radar

One of the toughest challenges for the resistance to the invasion of the moneysnatchers is that the sheer overwhelming scope and scale of the current assault against the American people makes it almost impossible to pay attention to much of what the moneysnatchers are doing. While we are preoccupied with defending social security and plotting revenge on Joe Lieberman for the bankruptcy bill, they're plotting to get away with murder on the next block.

The administration proposes capping federal funding for costs incurred by states for Medicaid administration, which would reduce federal spending by $1.13 billion over five years. That sounds fairly innocuous, but Jane Perkins of the National Health Law Program points out that federal matching funds for administration pay from 75% to 90% of such costs as:

1. Medical interpreter services for people with limited English;
2. Sign language interpretation for the deaf;
3. Family planning services (90% federally funded);
4. Nursing home preadmission screening and resident review to assure that people are appopriately placed and receiving appopriate treatment;
5. Due process and complaint resolution systems for people denied care;
6. Outreach activities;
7. Case management for people with chronic diseases;

and much, much more that makes the state systems more efficient, fights fraud, assures that people receive the benefits they are entitled to, and that they receive appropriate care.

This is back room policy wonkery that won't sell newspapers or attract eyeballs to the talking heads, but that's where a lot of the most egregious money snatching is happening.