Pat is wondering whether a directive by White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel will stop Governor Caricier's global Medicaid waiver.

Meanwhile, the NYT -- which has a front-pager today looking at growing Medicaid costs in a number of states, has a sidebar on how Rhode Island is pursuing a different approach.

Pat has some breaking news:

A number of House Democrats are unhappy with the decision of Speaker Murphy to not take a vote today on the Medicaid Global Waiver proposed by Governor Carcieri. RIFUTURE has learned that certain Representatives are shopping around a letter to the Speaker demanding a vote be taken and others are planning on introducing a motion from the floor today.

Word of the Congressional delegation's expression of concern yesterday to Governor Carcieri -- first reported here -- blew up on TV and in today's ProJo.

Meanwhile, gov spokeswoman Amy Kempe got back to me late yesterday. Here's part of what she wrote in response to the delegation's concerns:

The Governor has offered to brief the delegation, here in RI or to fly to DC, on the waiver and has extended the offer for his staff to brief their staff.

Rhode Island's Congressional delegation has expressed its "deep concern" to Governor Carcieri about the possibly adverse impact of the federal Medicaid wavier, says US Representative Jim Langevin.

Speaking with me earlier today, Langevin says he "has been concerned with the lack of transparency and specifics about the whole plan."

Word comes today of a January 9 legislative hearing on Governor Carcieri's global Medicaid waiver, which he bills as a big money-saver for the state.

Speaking of Carcieri, our governor has been an energetic supporter of what proponents call medical malpractice reform. Yet those who believe the medical system is plagued by unwarranted lawsuits might want to watch a segment aired last night on 60 Minutes, featuring actor Dennis Quaid.

Chances are you probably know someone who has died, or nearly died, because of medical mistakes in a hospital.