Here’s a look at how the budget spending plan, which was signed into law July 6, will affect programs and initiatives that are important to physicians and patients.
Insurance
State-run insurance programs fare pretty well in the spending plan, especially the state Children’s Health Insurance Program, which will see a $16.9 million increase for a total allocation of $300.9 million.
A new state-run high-risk insurance pool will receive about $41 million in federal funding.
Executive offices
Many of the executive offices created by Gov. Rendell’s Prescription for Pennsylvania reform package will see funding cuts.
Chronic care management will see about a $56,000 cut, while health information exchange and health-care-associated infections would lose out on about $110,000 each. Health information technology will get a $1.1 million increase in expected federal funds from the economic stimulus package.
Medicaid
Medicaid outpatient funding will lose out on about $127 million under the spending plan, although those cuts are expected to be offset by federal funding. Medicaid inpatient funding will go up about $273 million, and capitation will rise about $1.3 billion.
Other
The Pennsylvania Health Care Cost Containment Council will see a $134,000 drop in funding, while the Independent Regulatory Review Commission will lose about $17,000.
For more on the budget, read this fact sheet prepared by Gov. Ed Rendell's office.