Medicaid News and Research

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Medicaid is the United States health program for eligible individuals and families with low incomes and resources. It is a means-tested program that is jointly funded by the states and federal government, and is managed by the states.

States extend Medicaid for birth control, cutting costs — and future enrollment

The Trump administration is weighing whether to allow Texas to receive millions of federal Medicaid dollars for its family planning program, which bars abortion providers.

22 Mar 2018

Clash over abortion hobbles a health bill. Again. Here’s how.

The Affordable Care Act very nearly failed to become law due to an intraparty dispute among Democrats over how to handle the abortion issue. Now a similar argument between Democrats and Republicans is slowing progress on a bill that could help cut soaring premiums and shore up the ACA.

21 Mar 2018

Alzheimer’s disease on the rise

A new report shows that Alzheimer’s disease cases and the costs of treatment and hospitalization due to this disease and deaths due to this condition are on the rise. The report finds that at present 5.7 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and of these 5.5 million are over the age of 65 years. Of these 3.4 million are women.

20 Mar 2018

Adults skipping vaccines may miss out on effective new shingles shot

Federal officials have recommended a new vaccine that is more effective than an earlier version at protecting older adults against the painful rash called shingles. But persuading many adults to get this and other recommended vaccines continues to be an uphill battle, physicians and vaccine experts say.

20 Mar 2018

Robocall increases diabetic retinopathy screening rates among poor minorities

Automated reminder calls may be an effective tool to improve screening for diabetic eye disease among low-income minority patients, especially African Americans, a new study finds. The study results will be presented Monday at ENDO 2018, the Endocrine Society's 100th annual meeting in Chicago, Ill.

20 Mar 2018

Chemical peels can be safe treatment option for people with darker skin

Results from a new study led by Boston Medical Center (BMC) indicate that, when performed appropriately, chemical peels can be a safe treatment option for people with darker skin.

16 Mar 2018

Use of HIV-prevention drug grows, but lags among non-whites

Eric Russell, 24, recently joined a health support group for young Latino and black gay men, where he learned about the HIV-prevention pill known as PrEP. He resisted the medication at first, convinced he didn't need it and fearful that taking it would stigmatize him.

15 Mar 2018

Study examines relationship between spending for heart attack care and patient outcomes

In recent years, there has been a growing emphasis on improving the value of health care by incentivizing reduced spending and improved outcomes.

15 Mar 2018

Removal of cost barrier increases use of more effective, long-term contraception methods

When cost isn't an issue, women will choose more effective, long-term methods of contraception, according to Penn State College of Medicine researchers.

14 Mar 2018

The Importance of Fetal Fibronectin Testing for Women with Symptomatic Preterm Labor

Preterm birth is a dangerous condition that often goes undiagnosed. Fetal fibronectin (fFN) is a biomarker for preterm labor, but testing for fFN is widely underused. We explore this issue with Dr. Michael S. Ruma, a maternal-fetal specialist from the Perinatal Associates of New Mexico.

14 Mar 2018

Lifting therapy caps proves a load off Medicare patients’ shoulders

Physical therapy helps Leon Beers, 73, get out of bed in the morning and maneuver around his home using his walker. Other treatment strengthens his throat muscles so that he can communicate and swallow food, said his sister Karen Morse. But in mid-January, his home health care agency told Morse it could no longer provide these services because he had used all his therapy benefits allowed under Medicare for the year.

14 Mar 2018

Medicaid is rural America’s financial midwife

Brianna Foster, 23, lives minutes away from Genesis Hospital, the main source of health care and the only hospital with maternity services in southeastern Ohio's rural Muskingum County.

12 Mar 2018

No-go for Idaho: Back to the drawing board on state-based health plans

No, you can't. That's what federal officials told Idaho regulators and the state's governor late Thursday regarding the state's plan to allow insurers to sell health plans that fall short of the Affordable Care Act's requirements.

9 Mar 2018

Study explores more about food insecurity among older adults

Social issues such as hunger, inadequate housing, social isolation, and poverty are linked to poor health, especially as we age. When community organizations and healthcare systems coordinate with each other, they are better able to help us address these concerns individually and as a society.

9 Mar 2018

How Medicaid became a go-to funder for schools

Gerardo Alejandrez used to punch classmates, throw chairs and curse at his teachers, conduct that forced him to switch from school to school. "I had a lot of anger issues," the 16-year-old said recently.

9 Mar 2018

Of ‘miracles’ and money: Why hemophilia drugs are so expensive

When Landon Morris was diagnosed with hemophilia shortly after birth, his mother, Jessica Morris, was devastated. "It was like having your dreams — all the dreams you imagined for your child — just kind of disappear," she recalled.

8 Mar 2018

Bundled payment model for knee and hip replacements more likely to work better for larger hospitals

Medicare's experimental mandatory bundled payment model for knee and hip replacements is more likely to yield cost savings when the surgeries are performed in larger hospitals that do more of these procedures, according to a study from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

7 Mar 2018