The finance department projects a 2% increase of about $95 million in general revenue, available for state agencies to spend in the upcoming fiscal year. The Legislative Council and Joint Budget Committee begin meetings Tuesday to discuss the current 2014 fiscal session and the 2015 budget which goes into affect July 1st.
Representative Duncan Baird, Joint Budget Committee Co-Chairman, says the Department of Human Services will join them Thursday to discuss Medicaid and the private option.
"I think that those that voted for it, and even those that voted against the private option, are anxious to get in and start the discussion and see how the department is moving forward with both the private option and some of the other reforms that they've been putting in place," said Baird.
The legislature will vote on whether to reauthorize the use of federal funds to purchase private health insurance.