Haley outlines cuts of just more than $110 million

The State ^ | 1/19/2011 | JOHN O’CONNOR and GINA SMITH

[redk]

Gov. Nikki Haley will propose cutting payments to doctors and hospitals for treating poor patients in a state-run health care program; requiring the use of generic cancer, HIV/AIDS and mental health drugs; and eliminating state funding of South Carolina ETV and the state Arts Commission in her State of the State speech tonight, according to an Associated Press interview.

The proposals are Haley’s first efforts at tackling a looming $829 million shortfall for the budget year beginning July 1. Haley did not brief the media on the contents of her speech, as was customary with former Gov. Mark Sanford.

The combined budget cuts proposed by Haley -- which could total up to about $110 million -- would save just a fraction of the total needed. But the new governor has said tonight’s speech is just the beginning of her rollout of budget-cutting ideas.

The largest savings would come from reducing what doctors and hospitals are paid to treat patients in Medicaid, the state-run health insurance program for the poor and disabled. For each percentage point reduction, according to the state Department of Health and Human Services, the state could save about $10 million. Lawmakers previously have barred the agency from cutting the rates that the state pays doctors and hospitals.

[redk]

"Gov. Nikki Haley will propose cutting payments to doctors and hospitals for treating poor patients in a state-run health care program; requiring the use of generic cancer, HIV/AIDS and mental health drugs;"

This should be fun lol.

[DTogo]

...and eliminating state funding of South Carolina ETV and the state Arts Commission...

Hoo-RAH!

[patriot preacher]

Typical “The State” propaganda...

[doosee]

For those in SC, watch how the limp wristers come out of the woodwork to proclaim the world is coming to an end.

[goldstategop]

Will the GOP legislature cut spending? They never liked Sandford’s pugilism - rubbed them the wrong way. We can only hope Haley has more success with them.

[pointsal]

Hope she has no plans to visit Argentina....

[doosee]

fyi — for your ping

[phillyfanatic]

Now the Pubs in Congress have to defund NPR et al. That really would be fun.

[John 3_19-21]

Caught the majority of her speech in the upstate here on the local NBC affiliate. She sounded convincing and focused. I did not here any wavering or back peddling. Given her questions to the President earlier and this speech, I think my vote was very well placed this last November. You go Nikki, we got yer back!

[upchuck]

Thanks for the ping doosee.

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[patriot preacher]

I really liked her defiant tone toward the Feds. “When the Feds say ‘jump,’ South Carolina will no longer ask, ‘how high’?” :-) When she speaks about not jumping thru hoops to get $$ from Washington that has obvious strings attached, and declaring our “financial independence” from a federal government that is bankrupt and undependable — oh YES! I LIKE this Governor! Maybe if Washington, DC collapses, not EVERY State in the current “Union” has to fall WITH it...