Lawmakers hoping to keep Medicaid money flowing in their states went head to head with the White House late last week and voted 349-62 to suspend the implementation of seven cost-saving regulations the administration said would reduce Medicaid spending by $13 billion over five years. The suspension, which will last one year, has temporarily brushed aside a veto threat.

According to Republican Tim Murphy, his state, Pennsylvania, stood to lose $275 million in federal Medicaid money next year if the rules went into effect. The current rules would hurt delivery of services for long-term care facilities, schools serving children with mental or physical health needs, teaching hospitals and others relying on Medicaid's programs for the poor.

The House vote margin was well above the two-thirds needed to override a presidential veto. Congress has overridden a George W. Bush veto only once, last November on a water projects bill. However, the legislation (HR 5613) must first move through the Senate Finance Committee and get a vote on the Senate floor.

The Bush administration instituted the rules with the aim of saving the Treasury not only the $13 billion over five years but $33 billion over 10 years in programs that provide health coverage and nursing home care to the poor.

You can track the progress of the bill at
http://thomas.loc.gov

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