European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 2, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 b the stars and stripes . Tuesday february 2,1993clinton boosts states medicaid Powers Washington a president Clinton on monday ordered the government to give states More flexibility in running their medicaid programs saying governors have been Quot screaming for Relief from the cumbersome  Quot this will be one big step in the Long Road to giving this country the health care system it needs Quot Clinton said after a two hour meeting with several governors. He called the meeting Quot the Model of everything i want our relationship with the governors to be. It Wasny to scripted. It was a real honest discussion.�?T1 Clinton ordered the health and human services department to streamline the process by which states seek medicaid waivers. The waivers offer states flexibility in the Way they spend the Federal portion of medicaid Money. Quot states very Oft Ety believe that they can provide More services at lower costs if we did no to impose our rules and regulations of them Quot Clinton said. He said the health care financing administration a Branch of has will have Only one Opportunity to request additional information from states seeking waivers. State officials have complained for years that the financing administration takes too Long to process waivers because of redundant requests for information. Clinton also ordered the financing administration to consult with the National governors association to conduct a Quot rapid review of the entire waiver process Quot producing a list of ways to streamline the process further in 60 Days. Quot for years and years and years governors have been screaming for Relief from the cumbersome process by which the Federal government has Micro managed the health care system affecting poor americans Quot Clinton said. Quot we Are going to try to get them that Relief so that for lower costs we can do More Good for More  leaving the meeting the governors said they were thrilled with Clinton a statement. There was no talk about How much the proposals could Cost the Federal government. A at last the states Are going to be Given an Opportunity to deliver health care Quot Texas gov. Ann w. Richards  Hanley chairman of the state medicaid directors association said Quot i think what you have is a Percsi Dent who was very recently a governor who is much More attuned to How difficult it is for a state to get obviously Good ideas through Federal  Hanley also is Arkansas medicaid director. Clinton also told the financing administration to reopen negotiations with the governors association Over taxes that some states including Clinton a native Arkansas impose on health care providers including doctors and hospitals. Many of the states use this Revenue to get Federal medicaid Matching Money and then they funnel the revenues Back to the providers through increased fees while expanding their medicaid programs. Congress passed a Law in 1991 restricting use of such taxes to increase a state s share of Federal medicaid dollars and 24 states Are objecting to rules the Bush administration recently published to carry out the Law. The president also said the administration will re examine rules that would make it harder for hospitals treating a Large number of poor patients to get extra Federal Money. Changing the rules at the request of the governors would Cost the Federal government up to $340 million this year. Clinton also said an arrangement was ironed out in the meeting to get governors formally involved in his health care task Force. The task Force is chaired by his wife Hillary Rodham Clinton. Earlier on monday new York gov. Mario m. Cuomo said Quot we be already made Progress Quot with Clinton a commitment to health care Reform. A you could bankrupt this nation if you done to do something about health care. President Clinton knows that Quot Cuomo said on no cd a today program. A the acted very swiftly in his first week by naming Hillary Rodham Clinton to do it. So we be already made Progress. Just the commitment he a Given this Issue will make a  but a Republican says Clinton has let himself be diverted during his first Days in office. A a in a. Disappointed that he did no to focus on those major issues Early a South Carolina gov. Carroll Campbell said. A if in fact he stays on these peripheral issues such As Gays in the military then in a afraid he a going to bog  Clinton called on the governors to join him in a problem solving partnership. A i will try to be a Good partner and i Hope you willbe mine As we get this country to face its problems and seize its Promise Quot Clinton told the governors sunday at his first formal White House dinner. The governors were to vote today on their own National health care plan which Calls for guaranteed Access to health care for every citizen and minimum Federal standards to reduce medical liability costs. Clinton made Universal health care a Central theme of his Campaign but has not yet unveiled his plan. He has promised an annual spending Cap in health care and tax changes to discourage rapid increases in drug prices. A ,. By the new York times two new. Polls indicate that americans Are deeply divided Over president Clinton a Job performance so far and arc almost evenly split Over the first major Issue his administration has tackled the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces. A poll conducted by the Gallup organization for Newsweek Magazine showed that although 51 percent of those surveyed approved Mance 32 percent disapproved. It is the i pen of Clinton a Job perform highest disapproval rating for any new president since such surveys were begun in the 1950s. For most other presidents disapproval ratings this Early in their first term were in single digits. The Only exception a and the previous High a was a 13 percent disapproval rating for Ronald Reagan after the first week of his presidency in january 1981, Newsweek reported. The latest poll based on 774 Telephone interviews conducted last thursday and Friday had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus four percentage Points. The same poll also indicated that americans Are divided Over whether it is a Good idea that the military will Stop asking prospective recruits about their sexual preference which is part of the Compromise plan announced by Clinton on Friday. Forty eight percent did not approve of halting the practice while 44 percent approved. In another poll by Yankulovich inc. For time Magazine and can 68 percent of those surveyed said they had a favourable impression of Clinton. The time can poll also showed close division Over the new presidents plan to allow homosexuals to serve in the military. Forty eight percent said they opposed the plan while 43 percent supported it. President Clinton flanked by goes. Ann w. Richards of Texas and Mario m. Cuomo or new York watches the Suncar bowl at the White House on sunday with daughter Chelsea and her cat socks. Clinton plays Center for super bowl telecast Washington a with new York gov. Mario m. Cuomo to his left and Texas gov. Ann w. Richards to his right president Clinton held fast to the Middle sunday refusing to Side with either Buffalo or Dallas while watching the super bowl. A with them on either Side of me you think in a going to answer that aues lion a Clinton said when asked about his allegiance. A a in be got enough Tough decisions to  but after the cowboys beat the Bills 52-17, Clinton was effusive in his Praise for Dallas in a congratulatory Telephone Call to owner Jerry Jones and coach Jimmy Johnson. Jones and Johnson both played College football at the University of Arkansas. A this is a lot bigger Deal at Home than me being elected president a Clinton told Jones. R a i Tell you right now you were an inspiration to us a Jones replied. A i saw How to get Down on a knee and come Back up  the president was joined by his daughter Chelsea Cuomo Richards and More than 12 friends and staff in tire White House movie room to watch the game on a 45-Inch television. Cuomo whooped when Buffalo blocked a punt and got excited again when Bills running Back Thurman Thomas gained several Yards on a sweep. Quot go Thurman go go Quot Quot that a a very Clever Call a Clinton said. Richards observed earlier that Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman Quot is  during Clinton Scall to Jones Richards came on the line to get it on the record that she gave Cuomo no More mercy than the cowboys allowed the Bills. A a a. Chelsea 12, sat on the floor Between her fathers legs and lifted her head up once to whisper something to him. Her cat socks scampered around the floor in front of the to. It was the cats first Day in the White House following its weekend trip from Little Rock