WMDT 47 News - Delmarva's ChoiceDel. budget committee mulls Medicaid spending

DOVER, Del. (AP) - Members of the legislature's budget-writing committee are mulling spending for Delaware's costly Medicaid program.

The Joint Finance Committee is holding hearings on the Department of Health and Social Services' proposed budget for the fiscal year starting July 1. The committee was to hear Wednesday from the Division of Medicaid and Medical Assistance.

Gov. Jack Markell has proposed about $622 million for Medicaid next year, an increase of about $22 million to meet enrollment growth in the government health care program for the poor.

Markell has said Delaware must address skyrocketing costs for Medicaid and state employee health care, noting that Medicaid beneficiaries, state employees and retirees represent almost 40% of Delaware's health insurance market, with an annual taxpayer price tag of $1.7 billion in state and federal funds.

(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)