The Governor’s budget is expected to be released on April 20. The General Assembly’s appropriations subcommittees were meeting this week to begin the serious business of filling a $1 billion shortfall in the already-passed 2010-2011 spending plan. If the schedule laid out by legislative leaders this week holds, the Senate will pass its version of the budget on May 20, just 8 days after the General Assembly reconvenes. The House will finish its version by June 10, and all the differences will be ironed out by June 29, in time for a final budget to be completed and approved by July 1. That’s an ambitious schedule.
The NCMS is already fully engaged in the budget process and is working to protect health care for our state’s most vulnerable populations. Physicians and Medicaid providers have already been hammered by changes made in last year’s budget. Extensive work is being done by NCMS and others to ensure our health care safety net does not become a casualty of the recession.
at 12:17 pm
When this democrat dominated body is in session, we’re all in trouble. The question is not whether or not they’ll tax but rather how much and whom.