Post by Logan on Mar 12, 2016 20:53:29 GMT -6
JUNEAU — Hours after the House duked it out well into the early morning over the operating budget, the Senate in short order unanimously passed a sweeping Medicaid reform bill Friday morning.
Senate Bill 74 is the product of a collaborative effort of the often-at-odds Legislature and administration in order to curb the cost of the state’s second largest budget driver after education.
The bill focuses in large part on reducing fraud by introducing stronger penalties and an improved eligibility verification program. There are also elements targeted at improving the system like a coordinated care demonstration project and others that aim to reduce costly emergency room visits.
The effort was spearheaded by Finance Co-Chairs Sens. Pete Kelly, of Fairbanks, and Anna MacKinnon, of Eagle River.
Read more: www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/senate-passes-medicaid-reform/article_fd05b452-e830-11e5-a4b8-b36ae50395e3.html
Senate Bill 74 is the product of a collaborative effort of the often-at-odds Legislature and administration in order to curb the cost of the state’s second largest budget driver after education.
The bill focuses in large part on reducing fraud by introducing stronger penalties and an improved eligibility verification program. There are also elements targeted at improving the system like a coordinated care demonstration project and others that aim to reduce costly emergency room visits.
The effort was spearheaded by Finance Co-Chairs Sens. Pete Kelly, of Fairbanks, and Anna MacKinnon, of Eagle River.
Read more: www.newsminer.com/news/local_news/senate-passes-medicaid-reform/article_fd05b452-e830-11e5-a4b8-b36ae50395e3.html