States' Medicaid spending on target; Feds deny further Fla. Medicaid privatization

A survey says most state Medicaid budgets are on target through a series of program changes. In the meantime, CMS has denied a Florida proposal to expand Medicaid privatization there.

Modern Healthcare: Medicaid Budgets Mostly On Target, But Uncertainty Looms
A survey of state Medicaid directors found a healthy majority were on budget, thought some states continue to try to restrain spending by the safety-net insurer to address shortfalls. California sought to require Medicaid copayments, a proposal that died this week when federal officials said no. Meanwhile, Washington state health officials have said Medicaid payments would stop for unnecessary emergency room visits. Such dramatic policy proposals underscore the strain on state budgets and Medicaid spending from the slow recovery (Evans, 2/10).

The Associated Press/Miami Herald: Feds Deny Part Of Fla. Medicaid Proposal
Republican lawmakers' quest to expand a Medicaid privatization program statewide was dealt a blow this week after federal health officials said the state could not impose $10 monthly premiums on Medicaid beneficiaries. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also denied the state's proposal to charge $100 co-pays for any non-emergency ER visits, according to a letter sent Thursday. ... Lawmakers passed the bills last year trying to rein in the Medicaid budget of more than $20 billion a year and increase accountability for providers (Kennedy, 2/11).