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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.

Osiris: CMS releases proposed ruling for reimbursement of skin substitutes in hospital outpatient setting

Osiris Therapeutics, Inc., the leading stem cell company focused on developing and marketing products in orthopedics, sports medicine and wound care, announced today that, on November 27, 2013, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released their proposed ruling for the reimbursement of skin substitutes in the hospital outpatient setting. CMS decided to package the reimbursement for products used in advanced wound care with the related surgical procedure into a two-tier system.

30 Nov 2013

Viewpoints: SCOTUS should support contraception mandate; our brains 'not wired' for Obamacare; President's personality impairs law's success

More than a year after it upheld the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act, the Supreme Court has set the stage for a showdown over the law's requirement that employer health plans cover birth control.

28 Nov 2013

Consumers urged to give healthcare.gov another try -- just not too many of them

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Tuesday that healthcare.gov is "improved every day." But she delayed a big marketing campaign planned for December and is asking allies to hold back their enrollment pushes to avoid a crush of new users that might overwhelm the site again.

28 Nov 2013

Nearly 400,000 poor Americans flock to expanded Medicaid

The Washington Post reports the rollout of the law's expanded Medicaid program appears to be 'the silver lining' in the health law's implementation -- signups of nearly 400,000 people appear to be going smoothly. Meanwhile, news outlets cover Medicaid developments in Wisconsin, Ohio and South Carolina.

27 Nov 2013

First Edition: Nov. 27, 2013

Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz, in collaboration with McClatchy, reports: "Like half the states, South Carolina chose not to expand Medicaid under the federal health law next year, citing the program's high costs and inefficiency. Yet, state officials still forecast a 16 percent enrollment jump by the end of June, 2015, triple that of a typical year and even higher than the 12 percent average increase expected in states that are expanding eligibility.

27 Nov 2013

Anthem Blue Cross exposes 24,500 doctors' social security, tax numbers

In a departure from most medical privacy cases, Anthem Blue Cross said it accidentally posted online Social Security or tax identification numbers for about 24,500 California doctors. .

27 Nov 2013

AARP releases list of tips & questions on caring for aging parents

The turkey is defrosting and family is starting to gather at the house for Thanksgiving. For many families across New York, this is the once-a-year time that they travel from across the nation and, often times, globe to be with loved ones. In addition to enjoying time with family and friends, AARP says it's also prime time to check on older family members and relatives.

27 Nov 2013

State exchange news: Oregon's 'epic failure'; Kansas' next steps on canceled policies; rural challenge in Minnesota

Oregon once led the country in implementing Obamacare. Now it's just about dead last. Not one person has yet enrolled in the Cover Oregon insurance exchange - a major embarrassment to state policymakers who early on had wholeheartedly embraced the Affordable Care Act even as other states tried their best to hinder it. ... The uncertainty is leading to fears that Oregonians whose plans have been canceled as of Dec. 31 will find themselves without affordable coverage when the new year begins (Winfield Cunningham, 11/26).

27 Nov 2013

Health insurance coverage does not increase risky behavior

People with health insurance are more likely to use preventive services such as flu shots and health screenings to reduce their risk of serious illness, but they are no more likely than people without health insurance to engage in risky health behaviors such as smoking or gaining weight, researchers at UC Davis and University of Rochester have found.

27 Nov 2013

Tactics to sell the health law: Moms and local news

he administration, as well as insurers and advocacy groups, will rely on several tactics to sell the public on the health law, appealing to mothers to recruit their adult children and seeking positive news coverage from local, rather than national, media.

27 Nov 2013

Viewpoints: Local political fallout from Obama insurance pledge; 'debunking' sob story; is single payer still a possibility?

Democratic state leaders have been some of ObamaCare's strongest advocates. To show his gratitude, President Obama is sticking them with political responsibility for the millions of insurance policies that are being cancelled because they don't comply with the law's minimum-benefits mandates. ... Renewing lapsed policies could weaken the state exchanges as healthy young people will want to keep their discontinued, lower-cost plans ... there are other political considerations. Namely, the criticism they'll face from both the right and left if they don't back the president's directive to allow policy renewals (Allysia Finley, 11/25).

27 Nov 2013

Medicaid expansion: Florida stalls; Ohio lawsuits; Kansas hospitals weigh in

States dominated by Republican governors and legislatures continue to wrestle with decisions about expanding Medicaid to poor people who don't currently qualify.

27 Nov 2013

Administration: HealthCare.gov on target to work for most by Nov. 30

Administration officials and consumer advocates say that the enrollment website serving residents of 36 states is becoming easier for people to use, but insurers warn that flaws continue to hinder health plans. Officials acknowledge that some users will continue to experience outages and error messages. Meanwhile, Bloomberg looks at the president's efforts to monitor the situation.

26 Nov 2013

State highlights: What will Va.'s new governor do with state's mental health system?; Kancare gets nursing home critics; patient access to records in Wis.

In the wake of the Creigh Deeds family tragedy, it seems instructive to look ahead to how Gov.-elect Terry McAuliffe plans to deal with Virginia's mental health system.

26 Nov 2013