June 8, 2010

 Washington, DC – Nevada Senator Harry Reid today made the following statement on the importance of Medicaid funding for Nevada and yesterday’s letter from Governor Gibbons asking for help to secure the funding.

“This funding is important for Nevada because more than 160,000 children, parents, seniors and Nevadans with disabilities rely on Medicaid for affordable, quality medical care.  In addition to ensuring medical coverage for these Nevadans, this funding will help our state retain employees and avoid additional cuts to services that would result from a nearly $90 million budget shortfall.

“In order to secure this important funding for Nevada we need help from Republicans.  While I appreciate the support of Governor Gibbons on this issue, I hope that he and the rest of our state’s delegation will join me to get this legislation passed.”

While leading passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Reid fought to ensure Nevada received the highest percentage increase in Medicaid funds of any state and insisted on re-inserting the funding extension as part of this bill.