The state will pay 3% less for Medicaid patient care under legislation Gov. Nikki Haley signed into law this week. It's part of the state Department of Health and Human Services' plan to deal with a $225 million deficit that had threatened to cut off payments for care of the state's poor, elderly and disabled. And the new law ends South Carolina's status as the only in the nation where the Legislature barred the Medicaid agency from cutting provider fees, Haley said as she signed the legislation that goes into effect Friday. "Taxpayers deserve the most health for their tax dollar. Where Medicaid is now overpaying for fees we need the flexibility to correct this," Haley said. "And I will tell you that this is the start of us saying we are no longer going to let providers control the rates of healthcare."