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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.

MAXIMUS signs new contract to provide support services for California's health insurance exchange

MAXIMUS, a leading provider of government services worldwide, announced that it has signed a new contract with the California Health Benefit Exchange to provide support services for the state's health insurance exchange, known as Covered California.

23 Jul 2013

D.C., Minnesota march forward with online insurance marketplace

With less than three months until its go-live date, District officials say the city's health insurance exchange is already functioning as planned by one important measure: prices. City insurance regulators announced Friday that they have finishing granting approval to the plans set to be offered on the exchange, known as D.C. Health Link, starting Oct. 1. Four insurers are offering 301 different plans, and three of the four lowered their prices from their initial proposals after learning what their competitors were planning to charge (DeBonis, 7/19).

23 Jul 2013

Complications of preventable conditions more likely to land former prisoners in hospital

Complications of diabetes, hypertension, asthma, and other preventable conditions are more likely to land former prisoners in the hospital, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the July 22 online issue of JAMA Internal Medicine.

23 Jul 2013

MedImpact Healthcare Systems joins AHIP Select Program

MedImpact Healthcare Systems, Inc., the nation's largest privately held pharmacy benefits manager, has joined America's Health Insurance Plans Select Program representing pharmacy benefit management.

23 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 22, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the continuing efforts in opposition to the health law as well as a Washington Post investigation into a "flaw" in U.S. health care pricing.

22 Jul 2013

State highlights: Court hears arguments on Fla. 'gun-gag' law; Univ. of Minn. seeks to scale back coverage; fewer Utah docs see Medicaid patients

The top attorney for the state of Florida asked a federal appeals court today to reinstate a Florida law that regulates what physicians can ask patients about gun ownership, asserting that the law does not actually stifle such questions. Yes, it does, countered a lawyer representing several Florida medical societies and individual physicians who challenged the law as an infringement on their First Amendment right to free speech (Lowes, 7/18).

20 Jul 2013

Washington University School of Medicine physicians join Coventry's Medicare networks

Coventry Health Care of Missouri, Inc. has signed an agreement with Washington University School of Medicine adding the school's physicians to two of Coventry's Medicare networks. Under the agreement, effective July 1, members of Coventry's Gold Advantage and Advantra Medicare Advantage plans can receive covered services, at in-network rates, from The School of Medicine physicians.

20 Jul 2013

Aetna expands Dental Preferred Provider Organization network

Today Aetna announced the expansion of its Dental Preferred Provider Organization network, PPO II, to over 205,000 available dental practice locations nationally. The augmented network gives Aetna members greater access and choice when it comes to their dental care. Aetna's Dental PPO networks serve over nine million members today.

20 Jul 2013

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

After analyzing 2003-2004 data of patients who underwent spinal surgery at two medical institutions, they found that Medicaid beneficiaries were at much higher risk of experiencing any type of complication than patients who are privately insured. "The results of our study further support the growing body of literature that Medicaid patients have higher rates of complications," the authors write. When evaluating patients and considering the likelihood of complications, "Medicaid status should be considered as well," they concluded (Hacquebord et al., 7/15).

20 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Baucus applauds 'listening to customers' on employer mandate delay; Unions 'wake up' to problems with health law; Medicare's 'two midnights' rule

Any successful business leader will tell you the importance of listening to customers, gathering their input and suggestions and always putting them first. That lesson was not lost on the Obama administration earlier this month when it correctly decided to push back the implementation of the Affordable Care Act's employer responsibility provision - the employer mandate - until 2015. I'm sure this was a tough call, but it was the right one. It shows the administration is listening to the business community and working to address its concerns, as well as the concerns of Congress (Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., 7/17).

19 Jul 2013

Michigan Senate leader says Medicaid expansion vote could come in August

Republican Randy Richardville says the debate will have to wait until a group of senators studying the issue submit their proposal.

19 Jul 2013

State highlights: D.C. health care providers continue wait for payments; Ga. plans Medicaid managed care for kids; Hospital chain seeks insurer license in Calif.

A selection of health policy stories from Virginia, the District of Columbia, California, Wisconsin, Georgia, South Carolina, Pennsylvania and Washington.

19 Jul 2013

Testing requirements could delay launch of state health exchanges

Government officials said Wednesday during a Capitol Hill hearing that the Oct. 1 deadline may not allow enough time to test the systems that are being put in place to run these online insurance marketplaces.

19 Jul 2013

Coverage campaign: The White House effort 'to sell' the health law

The Washington Post details how the White House plans to sell the health law and to persuade young people to buy health insurance. Meanwhile, The Hill reports on how a public relations contract related to Obamacare is being boosted by $33 million.

19 Jul 2013

HCA signs definitive agreement to acquire three Tampa Bay hospitals from IASIS

HCA and IASIS Healthcare LLC today announced the signing of a definitive agreement for the sale of three Tampa Bay hospitals—Palms of Pasadena Hospital, Memorial Hospital of Tampa and Town & Country Hospital—by IASIS to HCA West Florida.

19 Jul 2013

Boys more likely to receive HPV4 vaccine if their mothers receive flu shots, study finds

Boys are more likely to receive the quadrivalent human papillomavirus vaccine if their mothers receive flu shots or Pap screenings, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the American Journal of Public Health.

19 Jul 2013

First Edition: July 18, 2013

Today's headlines include reports about the House vote to delay the health law's mandates as well as advance coverage of President Barack Obama's Thursday speech in which he touts the overhaul's benefits.

18 Jul 2013

States, feds continue to scramble on health exchanges, Medicaid expansion

The Obama administration hires a credit reporting agency to verify the incomes of people who apply for federal subsidies to buy health insurance. Meanwhile, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signs a bill that could make it more difficult to do enrollment outreach there, as federal officials consider ways to implement the law in states led by officials opposed to it.

18 Jul 2013

Health law computer database 'hub' links 7 agencies, spurs privacy concerns

A computer system designed to determine which Americans get what subsidies to help them buy health coverage will be hugely important to the success or failure of Obamacare, Bloomberg reports. And new federal data show doctors have filed more than 190 million prescriptions electronically.

18 Jul 2013

Viewpoints: Running out of money in old age; GOP favors the Pentagon over Americans' health care; Texas Senator's support on abortion stand doesn't reflect American attitudes

Nearly half of all Americans will outlive their assets, dying with practically no money at all. Even more worrisome, that's true even among households that met the traditional standards for secure retirement income. ... The results can be measured in more than merely dollars and cents. [MIT Economist James] Poterba's paper found that this group is "disproportionately in poor health," in part because they have no resources to cover medical expenses outside Medicare. Most shocking, many of these households were considered to have entered retirement in good financial shape; they didn't count on outliving their plans (Michael Hiltzik, 7/16).

18 Jul 2013

Medicaid News and Research

MAXIMUS signs new contract to provide support services for California's health insurance exchange

D.C., Minnesota march forward with online insurance marketplace

Complications of preventable conditions more likely to land former prisoners in hospital

MedImpact Healthcare Systems joins AHIP Select Program

First Edition: July 22, 2013

State highlights: Court hears arguments on Fla. 'gun-gag' law; Univ. of Minn. seeks to scale back coverage; fewer Utah docs see Medicaid patients

Washington University School of Medicine physicians join Coventry's Medicare networks

Aetna expands Dental Preferred Provider Organization network

Research roundup: Eye care disparities; more complications for Medicaid patients after spine surgery; the cost to states opting against Medicaid expansion

Viewpoints: Baucus applauds 'listening to customers' on employer mandate delay; Unions 'wake up' to problems with health law; Medicare's 'two midnights' rule

Michigan Senate leader says Medicaid expansion vote could come in August

State highlights: D.C. health care providers continue wait for payments; Ga. plans Medicaid managed care for kids; Hospital chain seeks insurer license in Calif.

Testing requirements could delay launch of state health exchanges

Coverage campaign: The White House effort 'to sell' the health law

HCA signs definitive agreement to acquire three Tampa Bay hospitals from IASIS

Boys more likely to receive HPV4 vaccine if their mothers receive flu shots, study finds

First Edition: July 18, 2013

States, feds continue to scramble on health exchanges, Medicaid expansion

Health law computer database 'hub' links 7 agencies, spurs privacy concerns

Viewpoints: Running out of money in old age; GOP favors the Pentagon over Americans' health care; Texas Senator's support on abortion stand doesn't reflect American attitudes

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