Block grants would be detrimental to Arizona, Tennessee Medicaid programs -- state administrators.
Executive Summary
BLOCK GRANTS WOULD BE DETRIMENTAL TO ARIZONA AND TENNESSEE MEDICAID programs, state administrators maintained at a March 23 Senate Finance/Medicaid Subcommittee hearing on Medicaid demonstration waivers. Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System Director Mabel Chen, MD, expressed concern that the rate of cost increase calculated by the federal government could be based on years in which waiver programs achieved their greatest savings, thereby effectively "penalizing" a state for its efficiency.