health

NEVADA: The legislature convened on February 7 with a scheduled adjournment date of June 6. Governor Brian Sandoval will sponsor an exchange bill, although he opposes federal health care reform. His reasons include not wanting the federal government to take action in the state and the fact that the legislature will not meet in 2012. The Division of Insurance (DOI) has indicated that it will pursue federal reform measures, including external review. Other legislation of interest includes the establishment of a statewide health information exchange system and amending the requirements for reimbursement of out-of network services to comply with the PPACA.

TEXAS: Governor Rick Perry delivered his State of the State speech last week, which included plans to suspend the State Historical Commission and the Commission on the Arts in addressing the state's $27 billion budget deficit. Speaking to a joint session of the legislature, Perry said the time has finally come to streamline state government. Perry's speech focused heavily on how strong the state's economy is, despite the deficit. According to Perry, Texas added more jobs in 2010 than any other state in the nation. That state-wide job growth occurred in the sectors of business, health care, manufacturing, hospitality, construction and energy. Perry's speech was highly critical of national politics, and he threatened to push back when Washington encroaches on states' rights. His budget proposal calls for cutting more than $2 billion in state spending on public education and another $2 billion in higher education, plus more than $2 billion in health and human services programs. Those cuts would come with much larger reductions in federal dollars, because states draw federal funding for programs such as Medicaid by spending state money.

VERMONT: Newly-elected Governor Peter Shumlin's focus has been on reducing the state's projected $100 million budget deficit. Proposals to deal with the deficit include changes to the administration of the state's Catamount program, changes to Catamount reimbursement, imposing an assessment on managed care organizations, increasing the provider tax on hospitals, and imposing an assessment on dentists. The legislature is also considering a number of bills that would create a single-payer, government-run health care plan and require rate reviews. The bills include:

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