4/25/16 Group Watch: Medicaid Commissioner Makes a Case
Alabama Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar appeared before a standing-room only crowd and talked with legislators about the need for additional funds. Azar said the agency started the current fiscal year with a $37 million carryover and relied on another $36 million of one-time funds. She said the absence of the non-recurring funds and the growth in the number of eligible persons means that additional money is needed. Azar pointed out that the cost per enrollee of $5,800 is almost the same per-enrollee cost as in 2008. According to Commissioner Azar, the General Fund provides 11 percent of the $6.1 billion Medicaid program. This was likely the first of a number of similar sessions as Alabama grapples with a Medicaid funding crisis.
