Resolution on Federal Medicaid and Welfare Block Grants Exposed
The Resolution on Federal Medicaid and Welfare Block Grants is listed under ALEC's Health and Human Services Task Force and was included in the 1996 ALEC Sourcebook of American State Legislation. According to ALEC.org, the Resolution was approved by the Board of Directors on January 28, 2013. (Accessed on 7/10/2015).
CMD's Bill Summary
This Resolution calls on Congress to amend Medicaid to replace the current funding program (a federal matching percentage of state costs) with block grants. It also calls for block grants for welfare, a change that happened in part with 1996 federal welfare reforms.
ALEC passed a similar Resolution in 2008 calling for block grants for Medicaid, but not mentioning welfare (Resolution on Medicaid Funding Through a Federal Block Grant). In 2011, Rep. Paul Ryan (R-WI) proposed a similar block grant system for Medicaid in his budget proposal.
ALEC Bill Text
Summary
A Resolution supporting the adoption of Federal Medicaid and Welfare Block Grants which would transfer both the financial authority and decision making power to the states to operate the programs as they so desire.
Model Resolution
WHEREAS, the growth in federal spending of the Medicaid and welfare entitlements are astronomical and spiraling, significantly increasing the federal budget costs, and
WHEREAS, this growth will never be controlled unless the states have autonomous management of the programs, free from Federal mandates regarding individual entitlement, eligibility groups, benefits, payment rates, and financing structures to allow most citizens of the states to benefit from the Medicaid and welfare programs, and
WHEREAS, the states will be able to design and develop innovative, efficient and productive Medicaid and welfare programs that will meet the needs of the residents within the state of [insert States]'s budget capacity, and
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the legislature of the state of [insert State] urges Congress to pass federal funds on to States via block grants to be used for public welfare and Medicaid purposes, and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that copies of this resolution will be distributed to all Governors and members of the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives.
1996 Sourcebook of American State Legislation
