State Health Department May Have To Cut Services
By: Import User
Updated: January 7, 2009
The Arkansas Health Department says it must
almost certainly cut services or staff because it is not making
enough money from its three main family planning accounts.
Those accounts -- prenatal care, birth control and immunization
-- were supposed to bring in $11.3 million for the department`s $287 million budget.
But they came up short by $1.5 million dollars
because fewer people have been using the services at local health
units.
Health Department officials say that the expansion of federal
Medicaid eligibility is partially to blame. More families have been
able to go to private doctors under Medicaid help for the poor,
meaning fewer of them are relying on state-run clinics.
Also, health officials complain that they cannot find enough
qualified nurses to administer their popular maternity program.
They say the department cannot compete with private sector
salaries.
