State will make cuts to Medicaid, welfare

Kevin Landrigan reports on cutbacks at HHS stemming from low-ball caseload estimates written into the state budget.

The state’s health and human services chief says Medicaid and state welfare assistance spending will have to be cut because the recession has caused caseloads to rise above estimates made only four months ago.

Health & Human Services Commissioner Nick Toumpas said that unless spending adjustments are made, the Medicaid and Transitional Assistance to Needy Families programs together will spend $10 million more than their budget this year.

“Our belief is that what we need to do as an agency is look at taking further cost containment measures,” Toumpas told the Legislative Fiscal Committee on Tuesday.