Louisiana House Speaker Jim Tucker last week said Gov. Bobby Jindal’s plan to deal with a $319 million revenue shortfall in fiscal 2010 won’t be considered until next month.
Tucker said the House will delay action on Jindal’s proposal to cover the gap with help from $195.3 million set aside to reimburse the federal government if the state loses a disagreement over Medicaid funds. The total includes $154.5 million of disputed overpayments to the state’s charity hospitals for uninsured patients.
Tucker said the issue would not be considered until Congress decides on a proposed extension of federal stimulus legislation. Jindal said he would replace the money with $321.4 million of additional Medicaid funds the state would receive in fiscal 2011 if the federal measure is adopted.
Tucker expects Congress to decide on the stimulus extension before it takes a two-week holiday for Memorial Day. That would provide enough time for the Louisiana Legislature to act before its scheduled recess on June 21, he said.
