Warning of a nearly $300 million potential shortfall in Kentucky’s Medicaid program, officials say they could eliminate health coverage for more than 480,000 people to balance the state’s budget. Kentucky’s Medicaid program spends about $11.5 billion every year, but most of that money comes from the federal government. More than 1.4 million people receive Medicaid benefits in Kentucky, or about one-third of the state’s population. Federal law requires the state to cover most of those people. But 480,000 people were added to the Medicaid rolls when former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear chose to expand the program to cover able-bodied adults. The state is not required to cover those people. (Adam Beam, Associated Press)
