By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – Senate Minority Leader Bill Brady wants to take a close look at a bill that would increase Medicaid reimbursements to pharmacies.

The Bloomington Republican said he realizes small pharmacies are the hardest hit by poor reimbursements, but the state has its own fiscal challenges.

“We’re obviously wanting to make sure that our pharmacies, independent and otherwise, can be competitive and stay in business,” Brady told WJBC’s Scott Laughlin. “But we also know that we need to exercise every opportunity we have for savings.”

Brady said the bill has just come out of the House and he and the rest of the Senate need to look closely at it.

Brady also said a proposal to raise the minimum starting pay for teachers to $40,000 could have detrimental side effects.

“One would be to eliminate teaching positions, which would increase class size and reduce the one-on-one nature of education,” Brady said. “Two, it would force them, if they could, to increase property taxes. Both would be bad unintended consequences.”

Brady said he understands the challenge of attracting teachers to some areas of the state, but is reluctant to say yes to another unfunded mandate.

Greg Halbleib can be reached at [email protected].