House Speaker Charles McCall and Governor Fallin are bickering over her recent veto of the budget created during the special session. McCall is blaming the veto for Medicaid provider cuts. The Oklahoma Health Care Authority approved the cuts on Friday.
“The bill the governor vetoed would have stabilized the Health Care Authority’s budget until a more sustainable solution could be reached during the upcoming legislative session or a later special session. The plan wasn’t perfect, but it provided funding for those health agencies and programs most affected by the loss of revenue from the cigarette fee. We understand the affect that provider cuts have on access to care, particularly in rural areas of the state. If the governor had signed the budget agreement, those cuts to provider rates and any potential cuts to other healthcare services in the coming months would have been avoided,” said McCall.
Fallin responded by saying the special session budget wasn’t enough to fix the problems. She wants to the Legislature to come up with long-term solutions.
“The budget bill that I vetoed was a short-time fix to a long-term problem. When we return to regular session next year to begin work on the 2019 fiscal year budget, we will be facing a budget gap of as much as $600 million and the reality that provider rates would be cut again. I believe we missed an opportunity to address our long-term structural budget problems in special session by continuing to kick the can down the road and failing to develop a predictable solution to fix our budget and fund our core services. We didn’t get our job done. Unfortunately, it took my veto pen to bring the proper focus and attention to this matter. I am committed to addressing the health care needs of Oklahoma as I always have, and I look forward to working further with legislators to find solutions,” said Fallin.
When Fallin vetoed the special session budget, she also said she would call another special session to address the budget once again. However, she has yet to set a date or scope.
The previous special session lasted eight weeks which is about half of a regular legislative session.
[…] Mary Fallin and Speaker McCall are also trying to blame each other for Medicaid provider cuts, something they are both responsible for doing. Via McCarville Report: […]