AK freezes Medicare inflation increases as state-owned corporation has a golf tournament

[Panich52]

Alaska Dispatch

Alaska freezes inflation-linked payment increases to Medicaid providers
  
Citing a “significantly underfunded” budget for the new fiscal year, the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services has told Medicaid providers they won’t be seeing the usual rate increases for inflation.

Health | Laurel Andrews
Read more
http://www.adn.com/article/20150629/alaska-freezes-inflation-linked-payment-increases-medicaid-providers


Alaska legislator criticizes state corporation's charity golf tournament
  
A state-owned corporation on Monday responded to a Wasilla legislator who criticized it for sponsoring a fundraising golf tournament during business hours as Alaska confronts a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

Politics | Nathaniel Herz
Read more
http://www.adn.com/article/20150629/alaska-legislator-criticizes-state-corporations-charity-golf-tournament

[Hoyt]

1. Not to minimize inadequate funding in AK, but some states have frozen Medicaid for years.

Most southern states, haven't budgeted increases for at least 5 years, some more. Rates are so low that we should thank physicians and other health cate providers who see it as the duty to see poor patients.

Medicaid rates are often 25% or so less than Medicare.