Latest news with #Beauregard
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Will Medicaid changes ‘heal or hurt?' Kentuckians disagree in Louisville debate
From left, journalist Deborah Yetter, Jim Waters of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions and Emily Beauregard of Kentucky Voices for Health discuss Medicaid during a gathering of the Louisville Forum, May 15, 2025. (Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) LOUISVILLE — As Republicans in Washington advanced a proposed Medicaid work requirement Wednesday, two Kentucky advocates speaking in Louisville disagreed on the wisdom of the policy. A House committee chaired by U.S. Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Bowling Green, approved a plan for trimming $625 billion in federal Medicaid spending over the next decade that includes new copays and work and reporting requirements. The vote is an early step in moving the changes, part of a massive tax and spending bill, through both chambers of Congress. The federal Medicaid work requirement would not take effect until 2029, under the bill approved by Guthrie's House Energy and Commerce Committee during a marathon session that lasted 25 hours. U.S. House panel passes GOP plan that cuts Medicaid by $625B, adds work requirement The federal-state Medicaid program pays for almost 1 in 3 Kentuckians' health care. The Louisville Forum already was planning to host a debate around the question: Will changes to Medicaid 'heal or hurt?' after Medicaid also took center stage in Kentucky's 2025 legislative session. Deborah Yetter, a Kentucky Hall of Fame journalist who writes for the Lantern, moderated the Wednesday panel between Jim Waters, president of the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, and Emily Beauregard, executive director of Kentucky Voices for Health. Waters and Beauregard spent a large chunk of the debate discussing the ins and outs of Medicaid work requirements. During the legislative session Kentucky lawmakers added a mandated work requirement for Kentuckians between the ages of 18 and 60 who don't have dependents and are both 'physically and mentally able to work.' Waters said that 'there's going to be some hurt whenever you try to rein in a program that's really exploded in cost' and said Medicaid 'was intended to be for the truly disabled, indigent.' District of Columbia 38% Alaska 36% New Mexico 36% California 35% New York 34% Louisiana 34% Kentucky 31% Oregon 31% Hawaii 29% West Virginia 29% 50 states and D.C. 24% Source: Center for Budget and Policy Priorities 'It was not meant to be a destination,' he said. 'It was meant to help along the way.' 'Contrary to maybe what some people think, there is not an automated taxpayer machine there in Frankfort,' he said. 'I mean, taxpayers are not an endless source of resources, so resources are limited, and they need to be spent in a way that actually helps people.' Beauregard said 'we don't need work requirements for Medicaid' and said reporting requirements often lead to administrative hurdles that keep people from being able to prove their employment, such as hard-to-prove seasonal work or literacy issues. Beauregard said work requirements are 'short sighted' because 'it is a prerequisite to work that you are healthy.' 'While we do spend a decent amount of money on Medicaid, the cost of being uninsured is much greater — and it's not only greater to the individual, it's greater to our entire economy and to our health care system,' she said. For Waters, Medicaid is 'unsustainable' as it is. 'Don't we want fewer people on Medicaid? I think that should be the goal,' Waters said. 'Fewer people on Medicaid means when people are in the private workforce getting coverage from employers, are independent, are experiencing the dignity of work and effort,' he said. 'If everybody, pretty much, is working …. that's receiving Medicaid benefits now, like I've heard, and then it's a very small percentage that aren't, what's the problem with implementing a program that gets the rest of those folks onto an employer's payroll and off of the taxpayers' benefit plan.' Lawmakers have cited fraud prevention as a motivator to more thoroughly oversee and rein in Medicaid. Beauregard said 'there's very little fraud for individuals' and that fraud is 'mostly in the provider arena, and it's not widespread.' 'Individuals aren't able to take advantage of their Medicaid coverage for nonmedical purposes,' she said. 'You can't take your Medicaid card and use it to purchase groceries or go on a vacation. Very few people are getting a root canal for the fun of it.' Waters believes 'there's more fraud that we even know right now' and called on the newly established Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board to 'be aggressive in looking at what fraud is happening and the extent of it.' 'Taxpayers deserve to know what that is, and to have somebody looking at that,' he said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Health advocate concerned how proposed Medicaid cuts could impact Kentucky
FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) — The GOP cost-cutting bill has been unveiled in Washington, and billions in cuts are on the table for Medicaid. 'I think if the cuts that we are seeing in this draft legislation go through, hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians will become uninsured,' Emily Beauregard told FOX 56. Health advocate concerned how proposed Medicaid cuts could impact Kentucky Lexington gun violence could increase this summer Kentucky police searching for man who allegedly drove stolen church van into store It is shaping up to be the next big political fight in Washington, D.C., with high stakes for the Commonwealth; 31% of the state is enrolled in Medicaid—that's about 1.3 million people. The Congressional Budget Office said as many as 8.6 million people nationwide will lose coverage over the decade under the current proposal. 'While it is expensive to cover, folks, it's a lot more expensive for people to be uninsured, to have their health deteriorate, to not be able to work because they're not healthy enough to work,' Beauregard, executive director of the policy non-profit Kentucky Voices for Health, said. Health advocate concerned how proposed Medicaid cuts could impact Kentucky Lexington gun violence could increase this summer Kentucky police searching for man who allegedly drove stolen church van into store The plan, which currently includes work reporting requirements, she argues, will create more bureaucratic churn. 'We know that 96% of Kentuckians, with Medicaid coverage, are working. They're caregivers, they're students, they're retired, or they have a disability or illness that keeps them from working,' she said. 'Every time you submit this information, it has to be processed. If it's not processed in time. You could have done everything right. You still lose your coverage. We see that happening in Kentucky today.' Beauregard said the most recent data she's seen from the state shows at least 6 thousand households a month have to redo paperwork, and in the gap of time before it gets fixed, they sometimes go uninsured. She also worries that fewer insured people could result in rising medical debt and put added strain on rural hospitals. Health advocate concerned how proposed Medicaid cuts could impact Kentucky Senate GOP weighs safety, legal concerns over Trump Qatar jet gift Trump's Middle East trip: 5 things to watch 'You could see certain services being cut. You could see reimbursements being reduced. It could take many forms,' she said. President Donald Trump reportedly wants the bill delivered to his desk by July 4. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Still a lot of unknowns about the Wharf Parking Lot as Staunton City Council gets update
STAUNTON — There's more that is unknown than known at this time concerning the closure of part of the Wharf Parking Lot in downtown Staunton. City Manager Leslie Beauregard updated Staunton City Council on the area Thursday night at its regular meeting. In 2021, nine months after two devastating floods hit downtown Staunton, City Council allocated a portion of their American Rescue Plan Act funds toward flood mitigation efforts in the city. A tunnel survey and structural evaluation conducted by Wiley|Wilson explored the conditions where Gum Spring Branch and Lewis Creek run underground. Those efforts included a tunnel survey and structural evaluation conducted by Wiley|Wilson and started last week. What the engineers saw caused them concern about the structural integrity of the tunnel in several specific areas, primarily around the Wharf. The east portion of the Wharf Parking Lot has been closed as has the entrance from West Johnson Street. A new entrance to the west end of the parking lot was created off of Byers Street that can be accessed from Lewis Street. Traffic patterns on West Johnson Street have also been changed. Can rabbit rescue be saved? Augusta County Board of Supervisors asks attorney to try to help Bunny Lu Beauregard said the extent or cost of repairs is not known yet. The city is also not sure how to fund those repairs. "We have already been talking to the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, we talked to the planning district commission," Beauregard said. "Looking at a combination of local dollars, grants. We even looked at if we take out bonds. We just don't know until we know the cost, obviously, but we're kind of exploring every single option." The timeline on starting emergency repairs and how long those repairs will take is also an unknown as of Thursday night. Beauregard said the city is also not sure of the longer term plans for creeks and tunnel systems and strategic flood mitigation. "That's a lot not to know," she said. "I realize." Murder suspect pleads not guilty in Waynesboro, losses bid to suppress police statements As far as what is known, Beauregard said that downtown parking and traffic flow will stay as is for now until more is known. Wiley|Wilson will continue to evaluate areas of concern. The engineering firm will also continue its evaluation north up Central Avenue and east to New Street. Beauregard said the Staunton Farmers' Market that operates in the west portion of the Wharf Parking Lot is still scheduled to start April 5. "Understanding though, if construction occurs and they have to leave that space for some period of time, they'll need a plan B," she said. "We're helping them work through that." It's also perfectly safe for pedestrian traffic on the eastern side of the Wharf Parking Lot, Beauregard said. The city manager thanked the staff that worked on this, including public works for creating the new entrance. "I think it looks like it belonged there forever," she said. "I think when this is all said and done, I think they're going to keep that as an opening and bollard it. It's always nice to have that option for special events or the Farmers' Market or whatever." Beauregard did tell council that this provides an opportunity to study parking in downtown Staunton. "I have a feeling that we will be updating you and the public often," Beauregard said. "Often and frequently and sharing as much detail as we can at any given time." More: VSP: One dead in Augusta County crash More: Staunton School Board, search firm meet to discuss timeline on hiring superintendent — Patrick Hite is a reporter at The News Leader. Story ideas and tips always welcome. Connect with Patrick (he/him/his) at phite@ and on Instagram @hitepatrick. Subscribe to us at This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Staunton City Council hears update on Wharf Parking Lot closure
