During a visit to the Hopkinsville Kiwanis Club meeting, Hopkinsville native and vice chair of the Senate Health Services Committee, Senator Craig Richardson, spoke about Medicaid and how it’s consuming a growing share of Kentucky’s budget—even though enrollment is down.
click to download audioRichardson says a key focus is understanding potential fraud, waste, and abuse—especially one questionable billing code still used post-COVID.
click to download audioThe Medicaid Oversight and Advisory Board—MOAB—is one of several interim task forces Richardson is serving on. He says gathering data is key.
click to download audioIn the last session, Richardson passed a resolution urging Medicaid reimbursement for pharmacy-based services like flu shots and strep tests. He says it’s about access and cost savings.
click to download audioHe also touched on the potential role of medical marijuana in Kentucky’s future.
click to download audioRichardson says the legal classification of marijuana still complicates the debate but believes interim committees are the right place to begin that discussion in earnest.
He also says healthcare—from Medicaid oversight to frontline access—will continue to dominate Kentucky’s legislative agenda and the state’s budget for years to come.
