State counting on federal dollars

Aid could help avoid cuts to health care

By Brad Shannon | The Olympian • Published January 27, 2009

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Democrats in the House and Senate are counting on federal economic stimulus dollars to stave off some cuts to human services programs.

By some accounts, the state could get a half billion more dollars in its Federal Medicaid Assistance Program grant than Gov. Chris Gregoire counted on in her December budget. And one estimate by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities says Washington’s share could be $1.99 billion extra, fully $1.1 billion more than Gregoire supposed.

Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown said last week that depending on how much money is provided — and in what form — the state might be able to avoid some cuts to the Basic Health Plan, which provides subsidized health care insurance to the working poor.

Brown, a Spokane Democrat known for resisting cuts to the social safety net, also predicted the state would be able to preserve funding for adult day centers. These provide a respite or place to go for about 1,900 disabled and elderly people who get care from loved ones at home.

The elder-care lobby contends the centers give caregivers a break, which saves the state money, because the caregivers don’t burn out so quickly and cared-for people are able to stay at home, which is cheaper than going to state-supported nursing and assisted-living homes.

“I don’t see it being eliminated. It fits within the whole continuum of care,” Brown told reporters last week during her weekly media meeting.

GAU, SCHIP

Brown said the same is true of the GAU — General Assistance Unemployable program — which gives a $339 monthly stipend to people who can’t work because of disabilities or mental illness. Few if any other states have a program like GAU, but Brown said cuts would not be cost-effective.

House Speaker Frank Chopp, D-Seattle, considers the program an extension of the federal Social Security program. Some GAU participants are waiting for acceptance by Social Security for permanent coverage of their disabilities.

Republicans such as Rep. Gary Alexander of Thurston County want to take a harder look at GAU and consider cutting it, as Gregoire proposes.

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