Michigan surpasses Medicaid enrollment goal in 4 months

Meanwhile, an ambitious Connecticut plan to overhaul how health care is delivered and paid for worries Medicaid advocates, who fear doctors will have financial incentives to withhold care.

The Detroit News: Michigan Medicaid Expansion Exceeds 322K
More people have enrolled in Medicaid's expansion in less than four months than were expected to sign up in the entire first year of the program, the Snyder administration announced Thursday. The expansion, called the Healthy Michigan Plan, opened April 1 with a first-year goal of 322,000 sign-ups. The state said it exceeded that projection Thursday with more than 323,022 residents enrolled. The Michigan Department of Community Health estimated 477,000 Michiganians would sign up by the end of 2015 (Bouffard, 7/10).

The CT Mirror: Health System Overhaul Plan Has Medicaid Advocates Worried
State officials are seeking millions of dollars in federal funds with the ambitious goal of redesigning how health care is paid for and delivered to the majority of Connecticut residents. But critics say a late addition to the application has the potential to significantly change Connecticut's Medicaid program, in ways they worry could make it harder for low-income children and adults to receive care. The goals are big: Improve the health of Connecticut residents; eliminate disparities in health between different groups; improve care quality and access, as well as patient experience and participation -- all while lowering costs. And the aim is to affect the care of nearly everyone in the state (Becker, 7/11).

Kansas Health Institute News Service: Feds Ask Kansas For Plans To Fix Medicaid Delay Issues
Federal officials have asked six states, including Kansas, to submit plans for resolving issues that appear to be delaying the processes to determine Medicaid eligibility, primarily for pregnant women, children and people with disabilities. Letters were sent to each state's Medicaid director on June 27. "CMS is asking several state Medicaid agencies to provide updated mitigation plans to address gaps that exist in their eligibility and enrollment systems to ensure timely processing of applications and access to coverage for eligible people," said Aaron Albright, a spokesman for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The six states – Kansas, Alaska, California, Michigan, Missouri and Tennessee – were asked to respond by July 14 (Ranney, 7/10).