PROVIDENCE -- Governor Carcieri is in Washington, D.C., today for at least two reasons.

He plans to attend this afternoon's oral arguments before the Supreme Court regarding a Narragansett Indian land case.

And Carcieri also met with federal Medicaid officials this morning, regarding Rhode Island's effort to secure a "global Medicaid waiver."

Carcieri, his chief of staff Brian Stern, and Department of Humans Services director Gary Alexander met personally with the top official at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Secretary Michael O. Leavitt.

Carcieri spokeswoman Amy Kempe wouldn't comment on the substance of the meeting, nor would she say how close state officials were to reach a deal on the waiver, which would fundamentally change the way the Ocean State works with the federal government to fund health care programs for the elderly, disabled and poor.

"I cannot comment on the status of negotiations, however key members of the governor's staff, including Gary Alexander and Brian Stern, have been meeting with CMS regularly over the past several weeks," Kempe wrote in an e-mail. "The global waiver is perhaps the most critical piece of policy put forth by the administration to reform Medicaid and ensure its long-term viability. Such a groundbreaking policy is a very high priority for the governor and could transform Medicaid funding for all states."