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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.

CMS: Insurers need to create plans for dual eligibles

Medicare Advantage insurers that cover some of the most expensive patients must develop individualized plans to coordinate care for each one, according to a final CMS rule issued Friday. The agency also formalized language in the Affordable Care Act requiring these so-called Special Needs Plans, which handle the costly population covered by both Medicare and Medicaid, to implement quality improvement programs and be certified in 2012 by the National Committee for Quality Assurance.

29 Aug 2011

Premier healthcare alliance awards new agreements for procurement of energy

The Premier healthcare alliance today announced that new agreements for the procurement of energy have been awarded to Amerex Brokers, LLC. of Sugar Land, Texas; Co-eXprise Inc. of Wexford, Pa.; Hospital Energy Development LLC. of Middletown, Conn.; Vical Energy Consultants Inc. of Hackensack, N.J.; and World Energy Solutions, Inc. of Worcester, Mass.

29 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 29, 2011

Kaiser Health News staff writer Christopher Weaver, working in collaboration with The Washington Post, writes: "The federal health law calls for a huge expansion of the Medicaid program in 2014 - a potential bonanza for insurers if the law survives court challenges and opposition by Republican contenders for the White House. The expansion will add 16 million enrollees, mostly in private plans, bringing the total nationwide to about 65 million and raising the stakes for controlling costs. As budgetary pressure rises, states are increasingly passing it on to private plans".

29 Aug 2011

Health Endeavors releases web-based ACO Audit Program

Health Endeavors releases web-based ACO Audit Program to assist healthcare providers in achieving PQRS quality measures and ACO success.

29 Aug 2011

States experimenting with Medicaid managed care

Some states are seeing managed care as a way to save money on their Medicaid programs, according to news coverage.

29 Aug 2011

Quality of care in for-profit nursing homes 'predictably appalling'

Today, Brian Lee, Executive Director of Families for Better Care, called the Government Accountability Office's (GAO) findings related to the quality of care in for-profit nursing homes acquired by private investment firms "predictably appalling."

26 Aug 2011

States putting more kids into CHIP programs, but some Medicaid programs squeezed

Thirty states increased the number of children under the program, Stateline reports. Also, Medicaid advocates are urging federal officials to deny California's request to cut the program, and in Georgia, officials are looking for more funding.

26 Aug 2011

Hospitals, health care facilities feeling effects of economic downturn

The July jobless rate dipped one-tenth of a point from June to 10.4 percent. That was unchanged from a year earlier. So too, were the number of jobs at hospitals, nursing homes, residential care facilities and clinics across Georgia.

26 Aug 2011

First Edition: August 26, 2011

In today's headlines, reports about presidential politics and health reform -- most notably, Rick Perry's assault on Mitt Romney's Massachusetts record.

26 Aug 2011

Trauma patients with no insurance more likely to seek follow-up care in ED

Providing access to an outpatient clinic isn't enough to keep some trauma patients who have been discharged from the hospital from returning to the emergency department (ED) for follow-up care, even for such minor needs as pain medication refills and dressing changes, according to new Johns Hopkins research.

26 Aug 2011

'Super committee' leaders say progress is happening

The super committee might not have a staff director, rules in place, or a room to meet in, but leaders of the powerful budget-slashing panel insisted Wednesday that progress is being made. Co-chairs Sen. Patty Murray and Rep. Jeb Hensarling said in a joint-statement that they're engaged in "serious discussions" on the details.

26 Aug 2011

Longer looks: Who is influencing health care?; Planned Parenthood's battle in the states; Oregon's new experiment

Right-wing radio host Rush Limbaugh once vowed to flee to Costa Rica if President Barack Obama's health care reforms took effect. Limbaugh might have overlooked a couple of critical details: Costa Rica's respected universal healthcare system is highly socialized. It's also on the verge of going broke. ... Costa Rica's broad coverage ranked better than most of the Americas, including the United States, in a 2000 World Health Organization index.

26 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Advice for the super committee and pundits; Calif. health insurance regulation; NEJM on episodic payment

As a member of the Bipartisan Policy Center's Debt Reduction Task Force, I supported gradually raising the Medicare eligibility age. I think it's a good idea now even though it wouldn't have been a couple of years ago. The bottom line is that raising the Medicare retirement age primarily affects higher income older people, who are more likely to be able to keep working and can afford the premiums even if they don't.

26 Aug 2011

Roundup: Federal appeals court says Ariz. Medicaid co-pays violate law; Mich. court rules against medicinal marijuana policies

A federal appeals court ruled Wednesday that mandatory copayments charged to Arizona's poorest residents violate federal law. The three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said federal health officials failed to show how the copays, imposed in November after a seven-year court battle, served any purpose besides cutting the state's Medicaid budget.

26 Aug 2011

On health exchanges, states may get a second chance to create their own

So far, 11 states have accepted federal money to set up their own state-run insurance exchange. Meanwhile, the Basic Health Program, another health law initiative, is drawing attention.

25 Aug 2011

Insurer continues challenge to its exclusion from La. Medicaid program

A major insurance firm is continuing to protest its exclusion from the state's planned $2.2 billion privatization of coverage for more than 800,000 of the state 1.2 million Medicaid enrollees.

25 Aug 2011

Health law legal challenges: Date set for oral arguments in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals

Missouri's health reform lawsuit is heading for oral arguments in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals. The 8th Circuit on Tuesday said oral arguments in the lawsuit, which challenges the individual mandate and the Medicaid expansion, will take place in St. Paul, Minn., during the week of Oct. 17.

25 Aug 2011

Viewpoints: Perry's health record, Medicare spending slows, postal service's health plan controversy

And now for some good news: Medicare spending growth has been slowing noticeably. ... some evidence suggests it may be a shift toward value in the health-care sector. Various hospital executives have told me they have already begun to prepare for less generous reimbursement from Medicare as the new federal health-care-reform law takes effect.

25 Aug 2011

Constituents try to connect with deficit panel members over possible spending cuts

With the work of the 'super committee' picking up steam, news outlets report on how, while back in their districts for the August recess, some of the panelists are hearing concerns about Medicare and other entitlement programs. Meanwhile, former GOP Senator John Danforth recollects his first-hand experiences with the politics of deficit-cutting commissions.

24 Aug 2011

Loss of job and health insurance threatens family's health and financial stability

Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people who lost their health insurance when they lost their jobs over the last two years said that they skipped needed health care or did not fill prescriptions because of cost, according to a new Commonwealth Fund report. The same proportion is also struggling with medical bills or medical debt, compared to about half (49%) who lost jobs but not their health insurance.

24 Aug 2011

Medicaid News and Research

CMS: Insurers need to create plans for dual eligibles

Premier healthcare alliance awards new agreements for procurement of energy

First Edition: August 29, 2011

Health Endeavors releases web-based ACO Audit Program

States experimenting with Medicaid managed care

Quality of care in for-profit nursing homes 'predictably appalling'

States putting more kids into CHIP programs, but some Medicaid programs squeezed

Hospitals, health care facilities feeling effects of economic downturn

First Edition: August 26, 2011

Trauma patients with no insurance more likely to seek follow-up care in ED

'Super committee' leaders say progress is happening

Longer looks: Who is influencing health care?; Planned Parenthood's battle in the states; Oregon's new experiment

Viewpoints: Advice for the super committee and pundits; Calif. health insurance regulation; NEJM on episodic payment

Roundup: Federal appeals court says Ariz. Medicaid co-pays violate law; Mich. court rules against medicinal marijuana policies

On health exchanges, states may get a second chance to create their own

Insurer continues challenge to its exclusion from La. Medicaid program

Health law legal challenges: Date set for oral arguments in the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals

Viewpoints: Perry's health record, Medicare spending slows, postal service's health plan controversy

Constituents try to connect with deficit panel members over possible spending cuts

Loss of job and health insurance threatens family's health and financial stability

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