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.

Federal officials, software specialists working to simplify healthcare.gov enrollment application

Their goal is to make the process easier during the next enrollment season. Meanwhile, Enroll America held a meeting to rally its troops as the organization also looks ahead to the next sign-up period.

19 Jun 2014

Counseling, medication management by pharmacist can lower hospital readmissions

Getting discharged from the hospital and then having to go right back in again can be emotionally draining for a patient and their family. It can also cause financial strain for all involved - the patient, the hospital system and the insurers-including Medicaid and Medicare, which are taxpayer funded.

19 Jun 2014

Five Points Healthcare announces acquisition of BestCare Home Care

Five Points Healthcare announced that it acquired BestCare Home Care on April 30, 2014. BestCare is a home health provider of Medicare-certified, Medicaid-waiver and personal care services throughout Northern and Western Virginia.

18 Jun 2014

Centene's Kansas subsidiary receives NCQA Health Plan Accreditation

Centene Corporation has announced that its wholly owned Kansas subsidiary, Sunflower Health Plan, has received Accreditation from the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

18 Jun 2014

First Edition: June 18, 2014

Today's headlines include a report that the cost of health law subsidies may push the measure's overall price tag beyond projections.

18 Jun 2014

Frontrunner for no. 2 GOP House post seen as health policy 'blank slate'

A CQ Healthbeat look at Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California finds a light footprint when it comes to health care matters. Meanwhile, physician and health care groups seek an extension of a health law provision that boosts Medicaid payments to primary care doctors.

18 Jun 2014

Oregon moves closer to suit against Oracle over health exchange 'fiasco'

Meanwhile, news outlets report on how nearby Washington state, which had a much less troubled launch and operation of its online insurance marketplace, still faces challenges.

18 Jun 2014

Abortion becomes issue in Maine governor race

Elsewhere, Planned Parenthood fights to keep an Iowa law allowing telemedicine abortion in rural areas on the books.

18 Jun 2014

Kansas Medicaid-CHIP enrollment rises despite tight eligibility standards

In Illinois, Medicaid coverage of adult dental and podiatry care is restored following a two-year cut. Unlike its neighboring states of Missouri and Nebraska, where significant decreases have been reported, Kansas has seen a significant jump in the number of people enrolled in its Medicaid-CHIP programs, even without loosening its relatively tight eligibility standards.

18 Jun 2014

Report: Subsidies motivate people to sign up for coverage

Enroll America issued a report Monday that examined what worked best to educate and enroll people in coverage under the health law.

18 Jun 2014

State highlights: New Fla. abortion restrictions; docs move to affluent areas; farmworkers' mental health in Calif.

A selection of health policy stories from Florida, Wisconsin, California, Michigan, Georgia, North Carolina and Maryland.

17 Jun 2014

Va. Gov. considers options on Medicaid expansion as GOP nurses wounds

Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe was unsuccessful in his effort to get a divided legislature to agree to expand health coverage to thousands of poor state residents. Analysts watch to see if he will work to expand Medicaid on his own.

17 Jun 2014

Health law bumps in the road: Subsidy eligibility questions, Medi-Cal asset seizure, health literacy

Obamacare programs designed to help people are running into problems concerning how much money people have when they get covered.

17 Jun 2014

Promising way to prevent disparities in colorectal cancer screening

People living in poverty are less likely to be screened regularly for colorectal cancer-and more likely to develop the disease and die from it. How to end these disparities-and raise screening rates, lower disease rates, and prevent deaths? A promising way is to mail fecal immunochemical tests (a newer kind of stool test) to populations, Beverly B. Green, MD, MPH, and Gloria D. Coronado, PhD, wrote in the June 17 JAMA Internal Medicine.

17 Jun 2014

Viewpoints: VA fix comes with big pricetag; safety outside abortion clinics; questions about Medicaid eligibility

As an example of how the normally sclerotic Congress can act extremely quickly when properly motivated, both chambers passed bills this week to ameliorate the Veterans Affairs health services scandal.

16 Jun 2014

State highlights: New La. abortion restrictions; new Mass. hospital deal; Medicare and ambulances in N.J.

A selection of health policy stories from Louisiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Wisconsin, Georgia, Missouri, Maryland, New York, Kansas and Washington state.

16 Jun 2014

Research roundup: Hospital readmissions; researchers mistrust social media; premiums in Washington state

Reducing hospital readmissions is a major target for current quality improvement and cost-containment efforts.

16 Jun 2014

First Edition: June 16, 2014

Today's headlines include more analysis of the events that led to a resolution of Virginia's budget impasse and Gov. Terry McAuliffe's hope to expand Medicaid.

16 Jun 2014

States, insurance plans wrestle over decisions to offer costly hepatitis C drug

The medication, named Sovaldi, has shown great promise in fighting the deadly disease, but it is very expensive: The treatment regimen runs about $84,000 per patient.

16 Jun 2014

Virginia lawmakers pass budget with language to block Medicaid expansion

The two-year spending plan, which will prevent a state government shutdown, includes an amendment designed to prevent Democratic Gov. Terry McAuliffe from pursuing efforts to expand the low-income health insurance program without legislative approval.

16 Jun 2014