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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.

UnitedHealth's profits rise

The company reported that its fourth-quarter profits rose 21 percent, driving by increases in health-insurance membership and continued light health care usage.

21 Jan 2012

Health law supporters brace for future attacks, wonder whether overhaul will be part of the SOTU address

Those who consider the health law one of President Barack Obama's leading domestic achievements look to see whether he will include it in his Tuesday night speech. Meanwhile, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius predicts continued criticism and "misinformation" about the health law while House Republicans celebrated the one-year anniversary of their vote to repeal it.

21 Jan 2012

Research roundup: 'No individual mandate' scenarios; Breaking down health care expenditures

This paper expands 2011 research examining whether the health law's controversial individual mandate – which requires most people to have health insurance -- will be effective.

21 Jan 2012

Roundup: N.Y. insurers to update directories; Cook county, Ill. health fees fall short; Md. woman says hospital denied same-sex visitation

New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman says his office has reached settlements with eight health insurance companies that require them to ensure the accuracy of provider directories on their websites. The attorney general's office says the companies will remove names of doctors and other providers who no longer participate and correct listing errors for others.

20 Jan 2012

State budgets try capping, cutting some health care expenses

In New York, California and Maryland, reactions were varied to the governors' spending plans.

20 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 20, 2012

Today's headlines include dispatches detailing how health care played in last night's S.C. GOP presidential primary debate.

20 Jan 2012

States streamline, add efficiency to Medicaid, survey finds

According to a Kaiser Family Foundation survey, 29 states have streamlined their programs, with most taking advantage of federal incentives to use new technology.

20 Jan 2012

In states, questions swirl about Medicaid contracts, costs, waiting lists

Florida's unfolding plan to keep elderly and disabled Medicaid patients out of nursing homes through the use of HMOs faces a huge obstacle: The state already has a long waiting list for the kinds of home- and community-based services those patients need. And there is no state money on the table to address it.

20 Jan 2012

Roundup: State lawmakers urge deficit reduction

On Wednesday, the National Conference of State Legislatures, which represents lawmakers from across the country, sent President Barack Obama, Speaker of the House John Boehner and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid a letter urging them to "examine all possible avenues for deficit reduction, including discretionary spending, entitlement reform and revenue-related options."

20 Jan 2012

New book focuses on improving care for chronic diseases

Why does health care need to be redesigned? First - the current system is broken. It costs too much, and too often yields little value for patients and society. Second - it's fixable. The editors and authors of Great Health Care - Making It Happen are convinced of it.

20 Jan 2012

New AACN Practice Alert on catheter-associated urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections account for nearly 40 percent of hospital-acquired infections in acute care hospitals, triggering increased hospital costs and higher patient morbidity and mortality rates. Compounding the toll of these infections, Medicaid, Medicare and many other payers no longer reimburse costs related to treatment because of their presumed preventability.

19 Jan 2012

An increasing number of Americans rely on government benefits

The pool of Americans relying on government benefits rose to record highs last year as an increasing share of families tapped aid in a weak economy. Some 48.6% of the population lived in a household receiving some type of government benefit in the second quarter of 2010, up a notch from 48.5% in the first quarter, according to Census data.

19 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 19, 2012

Today's headlines include news about a health exchange progress report from the White House and the latest activity on the GOP presidential primary campaign trail.

19 Jan 2012

Are health law advocates getting nervous about the high court's upcoming review?

The Hill reports that some supporters have recently shifted their tone about the health law challenges being "frivolous," acknowledging the Supreme Court wouldn't allow so much time for arguments if the justices viewed the issues as "a waste of time." Also, Politico explores the fate of the law's Medicaid expansion in the context of the court challenge, and CQ HealthBeat reports on the addition of plaintiffs and more amicus briefs.

19 Jan 2012

Viewpoints: The 'need' to repeal CLASS; Squaring Romney's poverty and tax promises

As a physician, I treated hundreds of patients who needed long-term care, including ones with Alzheimer's. More than 13.5 million seniors could have this disease by 2040. Middle-class families remain dangerously unprepared for these costs. Some people will likely spend more than $100,000 on care. The fictional CLASS daily benefit of $50 per day won't cover this. I urge my House and Senate colleagues to support this CLASS repeal.

19 Jan 2012

Economic burden of job-related injuries and illnesses in the U.S.

In the first comprehensive review of its kind since 1992, a UC Davis researcher has estimated the national annual price tag of occupational injuries and illnesses at $250 billion, much higher than generally assumed.

19 Jan 2012

Medicaid news: N.Y. Gov. proposes state 'takeover' of local costs; Kansas docs, hospitals endorse managed care plan

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's overall budget proposal would increase state spending by 2 percent, much of it involving 4-percent school aid and Medicaid spending hikes agreed to last year with legislative leaders. But the overall plan, including federal funding, is a fraction of 1 percent lower than the current budget, and eliminates a $2 billion deficit.

19 Jan 2012

Watson introduces new oral contraceptive, Vestura

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc. today announced that its subsidiary Watson Pharma, Inc. has launched Vestura(TM), a generic version of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s Yaz(R) oral contraceptive product.

18 Jan 2012

State roundup: Single-payer plans in Calif., Vt.; Calif. may regain state prison health care control; Abortion issues in Texas, Minn.

The California universal health care bill didn't make it past the Senate Appropriations Committee last year -- but Tuesday, more than 100 advocates plan to present it to the committee again, hoping for a better outcome. Under the single-payer bill, Californians would pay the state -- instead of private insurance companies -- to negotiate health care. The bill would cover any resident, including the estimated 7 million Californians who don't have health insurance now. ... A legislative health committee estimated the cost of plan would be around $200 billion.

18 Jan 2012

First Edition: January 18, 2012

In today's headlines, a report about the number of people in the U.S. who live in households receiving government benefits.

18 Jan 2012

Medicaid News and Research

UnitedHealth's profits rise

Health law supporters brace for future attacks, wonder whether overhaul will be part of the SOTU address

Research roundup: 'No individual mandate' scenarios; Breaking down health care expenditures

Roundup: N.Y. insurers to update directories; Cook county, Ill. health fees fall short; Md. woman says hospital denied same-sex visitation

State budgets try capping, cutting some health care expenses

First Edition: January 20, 2012

States streamline, add efficiency to Medicaid, survey finds

In states, questions swirl about Medicaid contracts, costs, waiting lists

Roundup: State lawmakers urge deficit reduction

New book focuses on improving care for chronic diseases

New AACN Practice Alert on catheter-associated urinary tract infections

An increasing number of Americans rely on government benefits

First Edition: January 19, 2012

Are health law advocates getting nervous about the high court's upcoming review?

Viewpoints: The 'need' to repeal CLASS; Squaring Romney's poverty and tax promises

Economic burden of job-related injuries and illnesses in the U.S.

Medicaid news: N.Y. Gov. proposes state 'takeover' of local costs; Kansas docs, hospitals endorse managed care plan

Watson introduces new oral contraceptive, Vestura

State roundup: Single-payer plans in Calif., Vt.; Calif. may regain state prison health care control; Abortion issues in Texas, Minn.

First Edition: January 18, 2012

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