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.

Viewpoints: Questioning the tales of Obamacare woes; Republic replacement MIA; 'mixed messages' on mammograms

Conservatives appear to be really upset that liberals are actually taking on the facts in the anti-Obamacare ads they've been running. How dare you question whether the people in these ads are giving an accurate picture - they're suffering! (Paul Krugman, 2/26).

28 Feb 2014

States: N.C.'s Medicaid managed care proposal; narrow provider networks; Planned Parenthood's big plan

Gov. Pat McCrory's health agency is backing away from initial proposals to fix Medicaid costs by hiring a handful of big managed care organizations to run North Carolina's $13 billion health care system. The state Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday presented its framework for revamping Medicaid to an advisory group set up by McCrory (Dalesio, 2/26).

28 Feb 2014

HMS Holdings' fourth quarter revenue decreases 8.6% to $121.6 million

HMS Holdings Corp. today announced financial and operating results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2013.

28 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 28, 2014

Today's headlines include reports about the latest developments for those states that are running their own health insurance exchanges and facing difficulties.

28 Feb 2014

Medicaid expansion continues to trigger state House debate, strong opinions

In states such as Virginia, Maine and Utah, lawmakers hold entrenched positions about whether to pursue this provision of the health law.

28 Feb 2014

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics celebrates contributions of registered dietitian nutritionists

March is National Nutrition Month®, when the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics reminds everyone to return to the basics of healthful eating. It is also the time of year when the Academy celebrates the contributions and expertise of registered dietitian nutritionists as the food and nutrition experts.

28 Feb 2014

Millions of mentally ill will lack coverage in states not expanding Medicaid, report finds

The Washington Post takes a look at the report by a group representing mental health professionals, and also how the issue is playing out in the Virginia legislature, where there is strong support to reform the state's mental health care system following the death of a state lawmaker's son.

28 Feb 2014

Medicare Part D cost-saving plan draws opposition on several fronts

Among other things, the proposal would limit the types of antidepressants -- and other kinds of drugs -- that are available to Medicare beneficiaries. Drug industry and insurer groups are lining up against the change.

27 Feb 2014

First Edition: February 27, 2014

Today's headlines include a number of stories about Obama past and present administration officials -- notably, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Vice President Joe Biden -- who are stepping up to "sell" people on enrolling in new health law insurance coverage.

27 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Health law's forgotten taxes; 'lame documentation' by critics; hospital closing crisis

The Affordable Care Act contains at least two economically distinct taxes on labor market activity. Even the experts on the law have failed to recognize all of them (Casey B. Mulligan, 2/26).

27 Feb 2014

Record $4.3 billion in health care fraud recovered

Federal efforts to combat health care fraud recovered a record $4.3 billion in fiscal 2013 and have recouped more than $8 for every $1 spent on enforcement over the past three years, according to an annual report released Wednesday.

27 Feb 2014

Administration may be scaling back estimates of young adult enrollment

CNN reports that the White House tamps down expectations that the exchanges will meet CBO's original projection that 40 percent of enrollees would be between the ages of 18 and 34. Also, Politico Pro looks at the large number of states that are not carrying out health law provision that allows young adults who were enrolled in Medicaid before aging out of foster care to receive coverage through age 26.

27 Feb 2014

Medicare official defends proposed changes to prescription drug program

In written testimony, Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator of the Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the changes are needed to head off cost increases, but an industry-sponsored study argues some of the changes could cost taxpayers more.

27 Feb 2014

Health exchanges create cybersecurity challenges, hacker opportunities

The Associated Press reports that a number of state health exchanges that were supposed to link to the federal computer system were initially rated as "high risk."

27 Feb 2014

Obamacare enrollment reaches 4 million

About 700,000 people have selected a health plan so far in February, but officials couldn't say how many of those people have paid their first month's premium. For enrollment to reach the revised goal of 6 million, more than double the number of people will have to sign up in March.

27 Feb 2014

Ark. House delays vote on Medicaid expansion; Maine lawmakers offer compromise

In Arkansas, the House held off on a fifth vote for funding the state's "private option." The Maine compromise would expand Medicaid while also reforming the program.

27 Feb 2014

In some states, Medicaid expansion intersects with immigration issues

News outlets examine how federal and state provisions on health care coverage set out an uneven landscape for low-income Americans, legal immigrants and those who came to the country illegally as children and who were given legal status for two-year periods.

27 Feb 2014

Study: Medical homes haven't saved money or substantially improved care

A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association found a pilot project that organizes care for patients in order to improve care quality and reduce costs improved neither substantially.

27 Feb 2014

Georgia docs finally see Medicaid pay raise

In the meantime, Minnesota's hospitals saw their uncompensated care costs increase at the slowest rate in five years.

27 Feb 2014

Viewpoints: Finding a plan for 'tinkering with DNA'; fact-checking claims of ACA losses; pediatricians' fears of retail clinics

The manipulation of human genes could lead to profound advances in our ability to cure or prevent terrible diseases. But in some cases, it might also mean introducing genetic material that could be passed from one generation to the next, changing the human gene pool in a manner that could inadvertently harm peoples' health.

26 Feb 2014