New U.S. rule pares outpatient Medicaid services

In the first of an expected avalanche of post-election regulations, the Bush administration has narrowed the scope of services that can be provided to poor people under Medicaid's outpatient hospital benefit. The new rule conflicts with efforts by Congressional leaders and governors to increase federal aid to the states for Medicaid as part of a new economic action plan. Public hospitals and state officials immediately protested the action, saying it would reduce Medicaid payments to many hospitals at a time of growing need.