DOJ probes fraud allegations at Dallas' Parkland hospital; Texas group calls Medicaid 'indispensable'

In other Medicaid news, Florida officials are trying to change the "Medically Needy" program and the Connecticut House passes a budget that would cut $50 million from Medicaid programs.

The Dallas Morning News: Parkland Hit With New Medicare-Medicaid Fraud Allegations
The U.S. Justice Department has been investigating new allegations that Parkland Memorial Hospital and UT Southwestern Medical Center doctors defrauded the federal government's health insurance programs for the poor and elderly. The investigation came to light Tuesday after a federal judge unsealed a whistle-blower lawsuit filed by Dr. Lien Kyri .. [who] alleges that "hundreds of thousands" of Medicare or Medicaid billing claims were falsely submitted for rehabilitation consultations (Moffeit and Egerton, 5/8).

The Dallas Morning News: New Group Touts Medicaid As 'Indispensable'-;And Not Fiscal Villain
A new coalition began sounding a contrarian note about Medicaid at the Texas Capitol on Tuesday. My Medicaid Matters said that ... contrary to conventional wisdom around the Legislature, Medicaid's costs actually have grown more slowly over the past decade than the costs of either the Medicare program for seniors or employer-provided health plans in the private sector (Garrett, 5/8).

News Service of Florida: State Seeks Changes To Medically Needy Program
Florida Medicaid officials have asked the federal government to approve major changes in a program that serves tens of thousands of people with costly medical conditions, seeking to install a type of managed care and require monthly premium payments. ... The Medically Needy program, which the agency says will cost about $1 billion this fiscal year, serves people who have often-debilitating conditions but don't qualify for the regular Medicaid program because of their income levels (5/8). 

The Connecticut Mirror: House Passes Budget That Closes $200 Million Deficit
The House of Representatives voted early Tuesday to approve a revised $20.5 billion budget for the next fiscal year. ... The new plan forecasts saving $50 million by tightening eligibility and limiting nursing home coverage in a Medicaid program that serves poor adults who don't have minor children. The changes include limiting enrollment to people with assets below $10,000  (Phaneuf, 5/8).