Medicaid News
Recession-Weary Workers, States Still Hope For COBRA And Medicaid Subsidies
With states facing a recession double-whammy of less revenue and more demand for health care services, Congress included extra money to Medicaid programs in the February 2009 federal stimulus package. Before the stimulus, the federal government's share of Medicaid costs was between 50 and 76 percent (depending on the per capita income of the state). The federal match increased to between 61 and 84 percent of all Medicaid spending.
Doctors Threaten to Pull Out of Texas Medicaid
Cuts to the reimbursements given to doctors who treat patients covered by the state's low-income health care program are raising fears that already declining physician participation will fall even further, according to a published report.The health care and insurance industries fear that a 1 percent cut in Medicaid fees scheduled to take effect Sept. 1 will be the first in a series of cuts as state agencies are asked to trim their two-year budgets by 10 percent to help cover an expected $18 billion revenue shortfall, The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday.
Move To Have Businesses Manage Medicaid Is Triggering Concern
Since Congress passed the health overhaul, businesses that manage Medicaid "are rushing to get a foothold in states that outsource Medicaid. … But the experience in some states suggests pitfalls ahead. A recent report found that 2.7 million children on Medicaid in nine states, most of them states that outsource Medicaid, are not receiving required screenings and immunizations.
Obama Fills Medicare and Medicaid Post Without Senate Approval
President Obama on Wednesday bypassed Congress and appointed Dr. Donald Berwick to head Medicare and Medicaid-- filling the job while Congress is in recess to get around Republican opposition that threatened to derail Berwick's confirmation. Berwick's supporters say he is the right man in the right place at the right time. Obama said in a written statement Wednesday that the recess appointment would allow Berwick and two other "extremely qualified candidates" to get to work "right away."
State aid to Medicaid drops 2.7%; fed spending jumps 17%
State financing for Medicaid declined an estimated 2.7% in fiscal 2010 as federal spending for the safety net insurer increased 17.2%, according to the latest survey by the National Association of State Budget Officers and National Governors Association.The lopsided growth, the result of $87 billion in federal Medicaid relief for states under the 2009 economic stimulus bill, is expected to reverse sharply in fiscal 2011 as the aid runs out, the survey suggests
Medicare: Congressional Tax Committees Release Bill with SGR Fix
Congressional leaders on the House Ways and Means and Senate Finance committees have released the purported “tax extenders” bill (HR 4213), which among other things would raise doctors’ Medicare reimbursements 1% to 2% through 2013.
Battle Looms in Senate Over Obama's Pick to Run Medicare and Medicaid
As all eyes watch Elena Kagan make the rounds of Senate office buildings, greeting senators, answering questions and building support, another of President Obama's nominees is taking the same route -- but with much less fanfare. And he very well could wield as much -- or even more -- influence on America's future as the Supreme Court nominee. Dr. Donald M. Berwick, if confirmed by the Senate, will run Medicare and Medicaid, the world’s second largest insurance provider, as the two health care giants transform to meet the requirements of the recently passed health care reform act.
Battle Looms in Senate Over Obama's Pick to Run Medicare and Medicaid
As all eyes watch Elena Kagan make the rounds of Senate office buildings, greeting senators, answering questions and building support, another of President Obama's nominees is taking the same route -- but with much less fanfare. And he very well could wield as much -- or even more -- influence on America's future as the Supreme Court nominee. Dr. Donald M. Berwick, if confirmed by the Senate, will run Medicare and Medicaid, the world’s second largest insurance provider, as the two health care giants transform to meet the requirements of the recently passed health care reform act.
Federal Officials Confirm A Shift In Medicaid Drug Rebates
The federal agency that oversees Medicaid confirmed Thursday that some money states receive as rebates from drugmakers will now be redirected to the federal government to help pay for the new health overhaul. However, federal officials said that states’ losses would be offset by other changes in Medicaid, the federal-state health care program for low-income people. The health law increases the rebates that drugmakers must offer state Medicaid programs from 15.1 percent to 23.1 percent for most brand name drugs, and by smaller amounts for other drugs and generics.
Medicaid funding extension moving through Congress
The tax extenders bill that the Senate approved on March 10 included a much-anticipated six-month extension of stimulus Medicaid funding in addition to the latest Medicare physician pay patch. The move sent the package back to the House for approval. The Senate measure would extend through June 2011 the enhanced federal Medicaid funding enabled by the most recent federal stimulus bill. That law required states to maintain existing eligibility and enrollment standards in exchange for receiving $87 billion in additional Medicaid funding over 27 months.
Obama to name new Medicare/Medicaid chief: official
President Barack Obama has picked a top health policy expert to run Medicare and Medicaid, an administration official said on Saturday, filling a role at the heart of his historic healthcare reform. Obama plans to nominate Dr. Donald Berwick as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a unit of the Department of Health and Human Services, the official said
With Medicaid Cuts, Doctors and Patients Drop Out
Carol Y. Vliet’s cancer returned with a fury last summer, the tumors metastasizing to her brain, liver, kidneys and throat. As she began a punishing regimen of chemotherapy and radiation, Mrs. Vliet found a measure of comfort in her monthly appointments with her primary care physician, Dr. Saed J. Sahouri, who had been monitoring her health for nearly two years. She was devastated, therefore, when Dr. Sahouri informed her a few months later that he could no longer see her because, like a growing number of doctors, he had stopped taking patients with Medicaid.
South Carolina, Oklahoma And Arkansas Grapple With Medicaid Cuts To Help Balance Budget
States consider major cuts to Medicaid services and reimbursement rates to help fill gaps in the budget.
The Associated Press: "Lawmakers are considering cutting all services for nearly 26,000 people with disabilities as South Carolina tries to plug a $560 million budget hole. Parents say the proposed cuts to day care programs and other services would force them to give up much-needed jobs to stay home and care for their young and adult children." But "[l]awmakers say they have little choice.
Reid Planning To Start Debate On COBRA, Medicaid Help Extensions
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is planning to start debate Monday on a bill that would extend COBRA health coverage benefit subsidies for people who have been laid-off. The measure, part of a larger package of expired government programs, also would help states with Medicaid reimbursements.
Medicaid, CHIP payments to be reviewed by new federal commission
A newly appointed commission will examine how Medicaid physician pay affects access to care by Medicaid patients and those in the Children's Health Insurance Program, among other issues. The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission, or MACPAC, will be chaired by Diane Rowland, ScD, executive director of the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured. The U.S. comptroller general appointed the panel's 17 members Dec. 23, 2009.
Medicaid rolls grew 5% in 2008
Medicaid enrollment increased by an average of 4.8% nationally between December 2007 and December 2008 to reach 44.7 million, according to figures compiled by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Six states experienced double-digit increases: Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Indiana, Maryland and Wisconsin. Wisconsin led all states with a 16.8% enrollment spike in the 12-month period, in part due to an expansion of Medicaid eligibility in BadgerCare Plus in February 2008.
Despite Subsidy, Cobra's Bite Still Stings for Many
The government is expanding a massive safety net to help the unemployed buy health insurance, but millions of people can't access the aid because of the way the program was designed. As a cornerstone of the economic stimulus plan, the administration of President Barack Obama allocated $25 billion to pay 65% of health-insurance premiums for workers laid off this year. Earlier this month, Congress extended the program for people laid off through February 2010 and expanded the aid to 15 months from nine.
Medicare, Medicaid spent $54 billion too much in 2009, White House says
Improper payments for health care made up a large portion of the $98 billion the federal government spent inappropriately in fiscal 2009. This total was an increase of $26 billion over the previous year, according to a report issued by the White House Office of Management and Budget. The Nov. 17 report concluded that Medicare fee for service improperly spent $24 billion in fiscal 2009, a rate equivalent to 7.8% of total outlays, and Medicaid improperly spent $18 billion, a rate of 9.6%. Medicare Advantage improperly spent $12 billion in 2009, a rate of 15.4% of total outlays on the private plans.
Michigan slashes Medicaid fees for doctors by another 8%
Michigan physicians won't be taxed more, but they are having their Medicaid fees slashed again. Michigan Gov. Jennifer M. Granholm on Oct. 30 signed a $45 billion, one-year budget that reduces Medicaid fees for doctors by $355 million, bringing their pay to about 55% of private insurance rates and about 50% of Medicare rates. These 8% cuts follow a 4% reduction in physician fees ordered by Granholm on July 1.
Medicaid pay could be cut again when stimulus money runs out
Federal stimulus funding has helped state Medicaid programs avoid drastic reductions in eligibility and physician fees, but program directors already are contemplating such cuts when the additional federal support runs out at the end of next year.
Holes in the safety net: Medicaid falls short just as some need it most
Doctors at the Maple City Health Care Center, a neighborhood clinic where the toddler's family receives most care, couldn’t diagnose the problem. The child needed to see a specialist, but no local dermatologist would agree to accept Medicaid, the government’s safety net plan. Instead, Antonia Mejorado, 33, has to drive nearly two hours to see a dermatologist willing to treat her daughter's potentially serious illness. With more and more doctors not accepting medicaid, covering the uninsured has become and increasing problem.
Bills Aim to Cut Medcaid, Medicare Fraud
Congress is attempting to step up efforts to combat fraud and abuse in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Two new bills were introduced May 5 that aim to reduce the prevalence of identity theft in Medicare and increase transparency of Medicaid payment data.
Families USA, PhRMA join forces, push Medicaid expansion
Advocacy group Families USA and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America have unveiled a joint campaign that outlines several strategies for achieving universal health coverage, including a provision to expand Medicaid coverage.
Improving Coordination Between Medicare's
Special Needs Plans and Medicaid
Special Needs Plans (SNPs)
are intended to improve care coordination, improve quality of care, and
reduce the costs for treating high-risk, high-cost Medicare
beneficiaries, including those who qualify for both Medicare and
Medicaid benefits. Many SNPs, however, do not coordinate their benefits
with state Medicaid programs. Combined with negative perceptions of
managed care among some of the elderly, this has led to low plan
enrollment and limited impact.
