Medicaid cuts to impact doctors, nursing homes, lawmakers told

ATLANTA - The director of the agency that manages state health programs warned Georgia lawmakers Thursday that some doctors may be forced to close their doors and some nursing homes may fold because of budget cuts proposed by the governor. <br> <br> Governor Perdue&#39;s budgets for the balance of the current year and for the year beginning July 1st include plans to reduce rates paid to doctors, nursing homes, ambulance services and others for treating patients covered by Medicaid, the state-federal health care program for the poor. <br> <br> Gary Redding is commissioner of the Department of Community Health. He says there are no easy choices for a state facing $620 million in revenue shortfall because of the recession, when claims and costs surged. <br> <br> He says the only options are to reduce rates to providers, cut back services or reduce eligibility. The state decided to reduce rates. <br> <br> Redding says some physicians already have told the department they may be forced to stop seeing Medicaid patients or close their doors altogether as a result of the proposed cuts. <br> <br> Next week, House subcommittees will begin developing their own recommendations and more cuts could be in store.

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