Medicaid News and Research

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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.

Importance of access to oral health care emphasized

Kool Smiles, a leading general dentistry provider for kids and parents, opened the doors to its newest location in the Bashford area of Louisville, KY.

26 Aug 2009

FAIR Health Plan provides cost effective healthcare to the uninsured

Nearly everyone in America can agree that the current healthcare system is broken. Now we have a real solution, the Federal Act Insurance Restructure (FAIR) Health Plan, a functional and cost-effective healthcare system. The FAIR Health Plan is designed to meet all of the strategic goals that the American people deserve. It is largely based on successful healthcare systems that are proven sustainable over the long term.

26 Aug 2009

Analysis of pending health reform bill points to huge cuts in Medicare funding

A new American Health Care Association analysis of the pending House health reform bill when combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion will result in total cuts of $44 billion over ten years.

26 Aug 2009

Chicago physician segment likely to grow more consolidated in future

HealthLeaders-InterStudy, a leading provider of managed care market intelligence, reports that while the medical community in Chicago is more consolidated than most large cities, with multiple large physician groups affiliated with health systems, the physician segment is likely to grow even more consolidated in the future.

26 Aug 2009

White House increases deficit projection; CBO offers slightly better outlook

"The federal government faces exploding deficits and mounting debt over the next decade, White House and congressional budget officials projected Tuesday in competing but similar economic forecasts, " The Associated Press reports.

26 Aug 2009

Racial/ethnic disparities in clinically confirmed outcomes of heart and stroke surgeries

Minorities have poorer results and higher rates of unnecessary surgery from a common procedure used to remove plaque from inside the carotid artery, according to a UT Southwestern Medical Center doctor who is lead author of the study in the journal Stroke.

26 Aug 2009

One-quarter of medicare beneficiaries will see premium hikes next year

While some in Medicare will not see premiums rise, Medicaid recipients, wealthy retirees and new enrollees will all have to pay more, U.S. News and World Report reports.

26 Aug 2009

Arizona awards health care contract to Aetna

Aetna (NYSE:AET) announced today that it was awarded a contract to provide health care benefits to Arizona’s state employees. The contract becomes effective on October 1, 2009.

26 Aug 2009

Experts in government healthcare from Affiliated Computer Services to aid state Medicaid programs

As state agencies navigate unprecedented economic challenges, Affiliated Computer Services, Inc. (NYSE: ACS) is working to help state Medicaid programs maximize federal stimulus dollars and to prepare for the economic rebound.

26 Aug 2009

Aetna promotes patient safety measures through informative website

Aetna (NYSE:AET) is strengthening its efforts to promote patient safety with easy-to-find online information for members. New policies also require health care facilities, physicians and other health care professionals to take action to prevent medical errors and changes the way they are paid when medical errors do occur.

26 Aug 2009

GOP unveils latest salvo in health reform battle: seniors' bill of rights

Republicans unveiled what they've termed the "Health Care Bill of Right for Seniors" Monday in an attempt to tailor their messages to the elderly, The Washington Post reports.

26 Aug 2009

Healthcare information technology to enable clinicians spend more time on patient care

Healthcare reform, a current hot button headline, is not a new issue. In fact, the concept has been kicking around the Hill since Teddy Roosevelt, who started the discussion of a national health insurance program in the early 1900s.

25 Aug 2009

All funding for Miami-Dade community-based organizations cut by Mayor Alvarez

Miami-Dade County Mayor Alvarez has eliminated all funding for community-based organizations (CBOs) for FY 2009-10, effective October 1, 2009. The proposed would mean the total elimination of over $31 million in grants to community-based organizations in Miami-Dade County. A significant portion of the CBO cuts would apply to Institute for Child & Family Health (ICFH) the largest provider of children's services in the County.

25 Aug 2009

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy and Ohio Caresource collaborate to develop Chronic Kidney Disease treatment

Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy announced today that its Diplomat Health Services Division is partnering with CareSource in Ohio to slow the progression of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), improve clinical outcomes and reduce healthcare costs associated with the disease. As the number of Americans with CKD continues to rise, CareSource is focused on the early identification and treatment of their patients with the illness.

25 Aug 2009

States worry about cost of Medicaid expansion

Lawmakers are cautious about expanding Medicaid coverage because they worry how it will be funded.

25 Aug 2009

Aetna renews contract with WellStar Health System for three years

Aetna (NYSE: AET) and WellStar Health System in Marietta, Ga., announced today they have reached an agreement on a three-year contract renewal.

25 Aug 2009

Claims Auditor Solution from Compliance 360 provides total control of medical claims audits and appeals

Compliance 360, a leading provider of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions for enterprise governance, risk management and compliance (eGRC) announced today that the Compliance 360 Claims Auditor has been licensed for use in over 200 hospitals since it was launched just 8 months ago.

24 Aug 2009

Health coverage issues around the country

News from around the country includes a lawsuit over Medicaid in Alaska, a health care mandate in California and the future of a multimillion-dollar contract for uninsured children in Mississippi.

24 Aug 2009

The Health care reform bill and Medicare regulation cut Medicare-funded nursing home care in Texas by $2.7 billion

A new American Health Care Association (AHCA) analysis of the pending U.S. House health care reform bill, combined with the impact of a recently-enacted Medicare regulation cutting Medicare-funded nursing home care by $12 billion over ten years, finds seniors in Texas requiring nursing and rehabilitative care will face total funding cuts of more than $2.7 billion over that same time period, which equals the 4th-highest state cut across the 50 states.

24 Aug 2009

Estimating the number of uninsured

NPR reports that 46 million represents "roughly 15 percent of the U.S. population," and the number comes from 2007 Census Bureau estimates. "Although the number of uninsured has grown slowly in the past several years, it's speeding up, mainly because employment has declined drastically since the Census report. And most of us get our insurance through our jobs."

23 Aug 2009