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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.

Rand Paul, who opposed federal 'handouts,' is criticized for taking Medicare patients; Other health politics news

Rand Paul, a Kentucky GOP Senate candidate, sees Medicare and Medicaid patients, even as he opposes federal "handouts" and is facing criticism from his Democratic opponent for not releasing his Medicare billing records, The Associated Press reported.

17 Jun 2010

State round-up: Calif. orders review of insurers' planned rate hikes; S.D. targets young smokers

"California health insurance regulators have ordered independent reviews of rate hikes being sought by four of the state's largest insurers, a move that could lead to smaller increases for consumers. The action comes after an outside analysis found significant errors in a recent rate filing by Anthem Blue Cross, leading it to cancel increases of as much as 39% for hundreds of thousands of policyholders. , to be announced Wednesday by The California Department of Insurance's findings are to be announced Wednesday" (Helfand, 6/16).

17 Jun 2010

Seniorlink announces approval of Caregiver Homes

Seniorlink, Inc. has announced the approval of its Caregiver Homes subsidiary as a Shared Living Services provider for the state of Rhode Island Department of Human Services. In the Caregiver Homes' model, the client lives in the home of a paid caregiver who is supported by a clinical care team to provide 24-hour care and supervision for an elder or disabled adult.

17 Jun 2010

States push for additional Medicaid funding with budget cuts on the horizon

Inside Health Policy reports that Democrats and hospital groups are pushing hard for the Senate to increase Medicaid payments as part of the "tax extenders" bill. "Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) told a crowd of hospital stakeholders that the enhanced Medicaid funding, which failed to make its way into health reform, is by no means a lock, despite the pleas of even some Republican governors for its passage."

17 Jun 2010

Senate rejects plan to extend jobless aid, avert looming Medicare cuts

Every Senate Republican and 12 Democrats rejected a White House-backed proposal to extend jobless programs and state aid created in last year's economic stimulus bill in a 52-45 vote Wednesday. Because the "test vote" on the extension plan failed, "Democrats seeking to reduce the measure's deficit impact are looking at rolling back last year's $25 a week increase in unemployment checks and giving doctors just a short reprieve from scheduled cuts in their Medicare payments" (6/16).

17 Jun 2010

Wednesday's OpEds: Berwick nomination; Health reform costs and benefits; Medicaid and COBRA in jobs bill

As its real costs become clearer, Obama's program is looking even more expensive for employers, seniors, and taxpayers (Rick Santorum, 6/16).

17 Jun 2010

Health on The Hill – June 15, 2010

Kaiser Health News staff writer Mary Agnes Carey and the Los Angeles Times' Noam Levey talk with KFF's Jackie Judd about recent events in Congress. For instance, the Senate is debating ways to reverse a 21 percent cut in Medicare physician payments that began on June 1.

16 Jun 2010

First Edition: June 16, 2010

Today's health policy headlines focus on the latest Senate developments regarding the Medicare 'doc fix' as well as continuing health reform implementation news.

16 Jun 2010

New data shows Ohio children with special health care needs have inadequate insurance coverage

A third of Ohio children with special health care needs have unstable or inadequate insurance coverage despite the fact that they may qualify for government health programs, according to a new data analysis by the Child Policy Research Center at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center.

16 Jun 2010

Reid takes steps toward final vote on 'extenders' package after turning down GOP alternative

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid filed a motion Monday to stop debate on a bill that includes $140 billion in spending on items such as extended unemployment benefits, enhanced Medicaid payments to states and a fix to keep Medicare reimbursements to doctors from being trimmed. The move suggests Reid thinks he is close to having the votes for passage.

16 Jun 2010

Medicare will hold off processing payment claims until June 18

Congress is debating a bill that would eliminate a cut in Medicare reimbursements to physicians and other providers that officially went into effect June 1. Several news outlets report how the delay in congressional action has created confusion for doctors and Medicare billing procedures.

16 Jun 2010

WellPoint to begin offering 'electronic' house calls

The Indianapolis Star: "Indianapolis-based health insurance giant WellPoint unveiled a new program to give its members access to doctors and other health-care providers via the Internet. The house call would be initiated by a patient logging in for a video chat from work to describe a sore throat, or a parent at home texting about a child with poison ivy.

16 Jun 2010

Teva prices $2.5 billion debt offering

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Limited announced today that it successfully priced the offering, by its special purpose finance subsidiaries, of a debt offering in three tranches:

16 Jun 2010

Wisconsin CLTS Medicaid Waiver covers Rethink Autism program for children and youth

The State of Wisconsin has expanded the State's care for children with autism through its Children's Long-Term Support Medicaid Waiver, which now covers a family's use of the Rethink Autism program. This will be an important source of continued services for families who are no longer receiving intensive services.

15 Jun 2010

CombiMatrix Diagnostics receives final licensure documentation and approvals to begin Medicare billing

CombiMatrix Corporation announced today that its laboratory services subsidiary, CombiMatrix Diagnostics, has received the final licensure documentation and approvals from Medicare in order to begin billing for its suite of array-based diagnostics tests.

15 Jun 2010

Adeona's HartLab expands diagnostic testing services to include full array of microbiology testing

Adeona Pharmaceuticals, Inc. announced that its wholly-owned CLIA-certified clinical testing subsidiary, HartLab, has expanded its in-house diagnostic testing services to include a full array of microbiology testing. Adeona believes that that this expansion of services will be accretive to HartLab's revenues in the current quarter and beyond and is consistent with Adeona's plans to continue to build the revenues of its HartLab subsidiary.

15 Jun 2010

Senate wrangling on bill with 'doc fix,' Medicaid payments, possible COBRA subsidy

President Barack Obama seems to be losing the battle to include in the jobs bill - also known as the "extender" bill - a continuation of federal subsidies for laid-off workers to help pay for health insurance through COBRA, The Associated Press reports. Sens. Bob Casey, D-Pa., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, "who are seeking a vote this coming week, want to attach their nearly $7 billion provision to must-pass legislation that would extend unemployment benefits and make changes in dozens of federal programs.

15 Jun 2010

Free clinics across the U.S. care for 1.8M uninsured patients annually: Survey

Free clinics across the U.S. provide care to about 1.8 million mostly uninsured patients annually and the majority of clinics receive no government support, according to the first comprehensive survey of all known free clinics since the 1960s.

15 Jun 2010

Texas prepares for health reform's changes despite opposition to new law; Other states brace for federal funding cuts

When Congress approved the sweeping federal health care overhaul in March, Texas Governor Rick Perry was one of the loudest critics. He blasted the initiative as unconstitutional, a government takeover of health care and an unfunded federal mandate on the states. … That sentiment remains widespread in Texas, which has joined with 20 other states in suing to block the law from taking effect.

15 Jun 2010

HHS issues interim rules for grandfathered health plans

The government suggested that under a highly complicated interim rule released today more than half of employer-sponsored health plans could lose their special status that shields them from some aspects of the new health overhaul. The administration outlined "a number of ways health plans could lose their grandfathered status. Plans that substantially eliminate benefits to diagnose or treat a particular condition would lose the status, for instance.

15 Jun 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Rand Paul, who opposed federal 'handouts,' is criticized for taking Medicare patients; Other health politics news

State round-up: Calif. orders review of insurers' planned rate hikes; S.D. targets young smokers

Seniorlink announces approval of Caregiver Homes

States push for additional Medicaid funding with budget cuts on the horizon

Senate rejects plan to extend jobless aid, avert looming Medicare cuts

Wednesday's OpEds: Berwick nomination; Health reform costs and benefits; Medicaid and COBRA in jobs bill

Health on The Hill – June 15, 2010

First Edition: June 16, 2010

New data shows Ohio children with special health care needs have inadequate insurance coverage

Reid takes steps toward final vote on 'extenders' package after turning down GOP alternative

Medicare will hold off processing payment claims until June 18

WellPoint to begin offering 'electronic' house calls

Teva prices $2.5 billion debt offering

Wisconsin CLTS Medicaid Waiver covers Rethink Autism program for children and youth

CombiMatrix Diagnostics receives final licensure documentation and approvals to begin Medicare billing

Adeona's HartLab expands diagnostic testing services to include full array of microbiology testing

Senate wrangling on bill with 'doc fix,' Medicaid payments, possible COBRA subsidy

Free clinics across the U.S. care for 1.8M uninsured patients annually: Survey

Texas prepares for health reform's changes despite opposition to new law; Other states brace for federal funding cuts

HHS issues interim rules for grandfathered health plans

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