Is the Council making the right decision on using Medicaid in FY 2010?

In response to the City Council’s recent assessment of and changes to the mayor’s revised FY 2010 budget proposal, the Office of the City Administrator sent a letter to CM Tommy Wells (Ward 6, chair of the City Council Committee on Human Services).

The letter explains why some of the decisions will negatively affect current District negotiations with the federal government.   Neil Albert, city administrator, describes how the council's change to a greater reliance on Medicaid in FY 2010 will jeopardize sensitive and on-going collaboration between CMS and the District to fix the city’s problems with Medicaid billing not just in CFSA but in DCPS as well.

Further, the letter reports how the council's recent decision will effect children and youth -- in a bad way.