Interesting SPIN…
House sustains veto
Gov. Perdue vetoed House Bill 2, titled the “North Carolina Health Care Protection Act,” citing questions about the bill’s constitutionality, necessity and unintended consequences.
On Wednesday, the N.C. House sustained the veto.
“This is an ill-conceived piece of legislation that’s not good for the people of North Carolina,” Gov. Perdue said last week when she vetoed the bill.
Gov. Perdue’s priorities remain jobs, education and resetting state government. She said this week she looks forward to working with the General Assembly on those issues.
The constitutionality of the federal health care law is already going to be decided in the U.S. Supreme Court, which made House Bill 2 unnecessary, Gov. Perdue said. There were also serious questions about whether the bill itself would have been constitutional and whether it would have cost North Carolina federal Medicaid funding.
To see a short video clip about Gov. Perdue’s veto, click here.
Gov. Perdue announces accelerated start dates for road projects
Gov. Bev Perdue announced that several Urban Loop projects scheduled to begin between 2014 and 2019 will begin earlier, because of available cash and cost-savings from a favorable construction environment.
While no additional money exists to add new Loop projects to the construction schedule, the N.C. Department of Transportation expects to see additional savings of about $50 million by being able to take advantage of today’s lower real estate and construction costs, which could move forward other Loops in their priority order.
At a transportation roundtable event in Charlotte U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood praised Gov. Perdue’s aggressiveness and leadership on transportation issues. Watch a clip here.
The accelerated projects are:
Charlotte I-485 widening:
Construction will begin in 2012, two years sooner.
Greensboro Western Loop:
Part C (Bryan Boulevard to Battleground Avenue) – Construction will begin in 2013, one year sooner.
Part D (Battleground Avenue to Lawndale Drive) – Buying right of way will begin in 2011, eight years sooner.
Greensboro Eastern Loop:
Part B (US 70 to US 29) – Buying right of way will begin in 2011, four years sooner and construction will begin in 2014, three years sooner.
Wilmington US 17 Bypass:
Part B (US 74/76 to US 421) – All grading and structures work will be consolidated into one contract in 2013. Paving work will be done under a separate contract in 2017, completing the overall project in 2018, two years sooner.
Medicaid initiative saves money
An N.C. Medicaid initiative to better manage utilization of prescription pain relievers and other powerful drugs has produced significant savings and improvements in quality of care.
Only a few months old, the controlled substances “lock-in” program limits Medicaid recipients who have a medical need for those drugs to a single prescriber and to a single pharmacy. The heightened tracking that results helps ensure Medicaid recipients are receiving appropriate treatment, and in appropriate amounts. Around 950 of 3,000 eligible N.C. Medicaid recipients are currently “locked in.” Early analyses show the lock-in program could reduce Medicaid expenditures by $9 million annually — $3 million of which would be state tax dollars.
The lock-in serves as part of Governor Bev Perdue’s strategy to reduce waste, fraud and abuse in the Medicaid system.
“This is a perfect example of my priority of setting government straight,” Gov. Perdue said. “We’re providing better health care and saving taxpayer dollars.”
Governor’s schedule for the week
Monday, March 14
Office time, Raleigh
Visit Eaton Corporation, Arden
Speak to Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism, Asheville
Tuesday, March 15
Legislative meetings, Raleigh
Staff meetings, Raleigh
Press conference, Raleigh
Wednesday, March 15
Legislative meetings, Raleigh
Office time, Raleigh
Thursday, March 16
Office time, Raleigh
Sign proclamation for Wilmington’s Azalea Festival and greet Azalea Queen and Court at the Executive Mansion
Visit Northeast N.C.
Friday, March 17
Conference Call with weekly papers