Two members of the North Carolina Association of County
Commissioners (NCACC), Vice President of NCACC, Terry Garrison of Vance
County and Wake County Manager David Cooke, presented
the county perspective on financing Medicaid.  The Medicaid burden
is a drain on county coffers, and will continue to be so under current
law, where counties do not have the power to make decisions regarding
eligibility, services and provider payments.  JLF fiscal policy analyst, Joe Coletti entered the discussion, submitting his advice on Medicaid reform to County Manager David Cooke.  Recent news of the State Health Plan has Michael DeBow‘s JLF sponsored Health Savings Accounts Policy Report
on the front lines. At the subcommittee meeting on the State Health
Plan, Rep. Walter Church distributed the HSA report to the committee
and audience, recommending they read the section on HSAs for state
employees.  Many key committee members are pursuing DeBow’s
recommended avenue of reform.