November 24, 2008. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) today released the following testimony: State and Local Fiscal Challenges: Rising Health Care Costs Drive Long-term and Immediate Pressures. GAO-09-210T, November 19 2008

This statement of Stanley J. Czerwinski, Director Strategic Issues, addresses three key points:

1. the state and local government sector’s long-term fiscal challenges;
2. rapidly rising health care costs which drive the sector’s long-term fiscal difficulties, and
3. the considerations involved in targeting supplemental funds to states through the Medicaid program during economic downturns.

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