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Medicaid stimulus funding for states clears hurdle in U.S. Senate; advances to final vote

Posted Mar 9, 2010 by Catherine Whittenburg, Tallahassee bureau

Updated Mar 9, 2010 at 04:53 PM

The U.S. Senate just voted 66-34 to advance legislation that would provide states with an extra six months of emergency stimulus funding for Medicaid next fiscal year.

Having cleared today’s hurdle—the cloture vote—the bill could pass before the end of the week, in time for the Florida House and Senate to budget the extra money.

The relief for states, valued at more than $1 billion for Florida, would shrink Florida’s upcoming budget shortfall by roughly one-third. Last year’s federal stimulus package provided an enhanced federal Medicaid match only through the end of the 2010 calendar year, six months shy of the end of 2010-2011.

The bill pending in the U.S. Senate includes numerous relief proposals including the Medicaid assistance for states. Most, like Florida, are experiencing dramatic increases in their Medicaid enrollment due to high unemployment and foreclosure rates. The House has already passed companion legislation.

Florida’s senators split their vote on the bill; Democratic U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson voted to end debate on the bill, while Republican U.S. Sen. George LeMieux voted no. A spokeswoman for LeMieux said he wanted to continue debate “to figure out a way to pay for the $100 billion worth of spending in the bill.”