During a visit to promote rural initiatives at Monroe County Hospital in Monroeville, Ala., Gov. Robert Bentley said that a state lottery is likely the only viable means of raising the additional funding necessary to keep Alabama's Medicaid program afloat, reports AL.com.
The Alabama House of Representatives passed a budget last week that allocated $700 million for Medicaid funding, however the governor had requested $785 million to keep the program running without resorting to significant eligibility and service cuts.
The governor said he will veto a budget that does not meet the funding request for Medicaid, however lawmakers are wary to cut any more money from funds for education and infrastructure, according to the article.
Extra Medicaid funding is particularly necessary as the state prepares to switch to a managed care delivery system within the next five years. The state estimates the transition will cost up to an additional $747 million over the five-year period.
Several other lottery bills are currently pending in the state legislature, however none have come up for a vote in the house or senate, according to the article.
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