Medicaid News and Research

RSS

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.

Senate passes extension of COBRA, other unemployment benefits

The Senate passed a $140 billion "jobs bill" Wednesday that will extend unemployment coverage, increase federal Medicaid funding, block cuts to physician pay and preserve numerous tax breaks and credits that would have expired without congressional action, The Christian Science Monitor reports. "Jobs trump the national debt. That's the message from a robust, bipartisan Senate vote…" (Chaddock, 3/10).

12 Mar 2010

Does Medicare 'doughnut hole' spur increase in foreign drug imports?

Medill Reports: "Unless federal legislation closes the Medicare coverage gap colloquially known as the 'doughnut hole,' seniors may opt for online drug imports to alleviate steep prescription costs. ... 'As seniors start falling into the doughnut hole, they are going online to find deals on prescription drugs, whether they're based in the U.S. or in other countries,' said Gabriel Levitt, vice president of PharmacyChecker.com LLC, a leader in the evaluation of online and mail-order pharmacies in both the U.S. and abroad.

12 Mar 2010

Congress, Obama continue health reform push

"Health care reform takes center stage Thursday as President Obama and top congressional Democrats work behind closed doors to nail down a final agreement," CNN reports. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., hosted a "meeting of the entire House Democratic caucus in the morning," while Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to hold a news conference that will "build public momentum by framing the issue in more personal terms."

12 Mar 2010

Obama makes impassioned argument for health reform, tough measures to combat health fraud

A shirt-sleeved President Barack Obama took his closing arguments for health care reform to the St. Louis area Wednesday.

12 Mar 2010

Detroit federal jury convicts doctor in Medicare fraud scheme

Farmington Hills, Mich., physician Jose Castro-Ramirez was convicted today by a Detroit federal jury on all 13 charged counts in connection with his role in an $18.3 million Medicare fraud scheme.

12 Mar 2010

Watson Pharmaceuticals' TRELSTAR receives FDA approval for treatment of advanced prostate cancer

Watson Pharmaceuticals, Inc., today announced the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of TRELSTAR® 22.5 mg (triptorelin pamoate for injectable suspension), a new twice-yearly formulation of TRELSTAR®, a proven, simple and effective palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer.

11 Mar 2010

Private sector auditors to root out fraud in Medicare and Medicaid: CAGW lauds decision

The nation’s premier taxpayer watchdog group, Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW), today applauded President Obama for announcing that he will use private sector auditors to root out fraud in the country’s two massive government-run healthcare plans, Medicare and Medicaid. The practice of using private sector auditors to identify and recover improper overpayments to healthcare contractors and providers, technically called recovery audit contractors (RACs), has been a staple in the private sector for many years.

11 Mar 2010

First Edition: March 11, 2010

Today's headlines offer details of President Obama's continued full-court press on health reform with an appearance in Missouri. Meanwhile, work to move the bill toward a vote continues on Capitol Hill.

11 Mar 2010

Proposed rule to exchange EHR's without patients' consent will affect Americans' health privacy

The proposed federal rule to create and exchange electronic health records without patients' consent threatens Americans' health privacy, warns the Institute for Health Freedom.

11 Mar 2010

New policy document examines options to integrate care for dual eligible beneficiaries

The SCAN Foundation released a policy options document by the Center for Health Care Strategies, Inc. (CHCS) summarizing four options to integrate care for dual eligibles, the nearly 9 million seniors and adults with disabilities who qualify for both Medicare and Medicaid.

11 Mar 2010

National freeze on health insurance rates needed

Harvey Rosenfield, author of California's landmark insurance regulation Proposition 103—recognized as the most successful insurance regulation in the country—was joined today by people struggling to pay for health insurance in calling on President Obama and Congress to impose a national freeze on health insurance rates as part of the final round of votes on reform. Consumers must have a breather from yearly premium hikes like the 39% increase planned by Anthem Blue Cross, said Consumer Watchdog, which Rosenfield founded.

11 Mar 2010

Poor, minority adults with chronic kidney disease face increase risk of developing ESRD

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) afflicts a large number of younger minority adults receiving medical care in settings that serve the uninsured and underinsured (settings collectively known as the healthcare safety net). Poor, minority adults with moderate to severe CKD are also two to four times more likely to progress to kidney failure than non-Hispanic whites.

11 Mar 2010

Insight Imaging commences operations in partnership with ARA in the Dallas metro-area

InSight Health Services Holdings Corp. announced today that it has commenced operations in partnership with American Radiology Associates, P.A. in the Dallas metro-area. Insight Imaging will manage the partnership, which has acquired ARA’s Willowbend Diagnostic Imaging Center. ARA has also agreed to provide professional services in the coming months at Insight Diagnostic Center – Forest Lane.

11 Mar 2010

President announces plans to crack down on health care fraud

The Boston Globe: "President Barack Obama said Tuesday he'll bring in high-tech bounty hunters to help root out health care fraud, grabbing a populist idea with bipartisan backing in his final push to overhaul the system. ... Obama's anti-fraud announcement was aimed directly at the political middle."

11 Mar 2010

Non-profit operations plugging health care gap in Chicago

Medill Reports presents a story on community health centers in Chicago that try to fill access-to-care gaps for people too sick to get health care coverage or too poor to afford other care.

11 Mar 2010

6 Day Dental and Orthodontics improves access to oral health care

6 Day Dental and Orthodontics now accepts Medicaid and CHIP at all five 6 Day locations – in Allen, Coppell, Frisco/Plano, Flower Mound and Roanoke/Keller.

11 Mar 2010

Senate poised to pass COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

The Senate is set to vote Wednesday on a jobs bill that would extend the COBRA subsidy program and Medicaid funding for states and prevent a Medicare reimbursement cut for doctors.

11 Mar 2010

Senate passes extension of COBRA and other unemployment benefits

The Hill: Six Senate Republicans joined most Democrats to approve a package of unemployment aid and tax provisions. The bill, which its backers say is "a necessary step during the economic recovery," passed on a 62-36 vote. "The bulk of the bill's cost -- about $80 billion -- goes toward prolonging increased levels of federal unemployment aid and COBRA healthcare benefits for the jobless through the end of December." The measure's remaining cost would extend "the current rate of Medicare payments to doctors, which is scheduled to see a 21 percent rate cut" as well as a number of tax breaks.

10 Mar 2010

States' legislative health initiatives stall

The Boston Globe: "A group of Massachusetts mayors, fed up with what they say is legislative inaction on skyrocketing municipal health care costs, has launched a ballot initiative for 2012 aimed at giving cities and towns more flexibility in reducing expensive benefits for employees, retirees, and elected officials" (Murphy, 3/10).

10 Mar 2010

FDA approves Abbott's TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens for cataract patients

Abbott announced today it has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the TECNIS® Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens (IOL) for cataract patients with and without presbyopia.

10 Mar 2010

Medicaid News and Research

Senate passes extension of COBRA, other unemployment benefits

Does Medicare 'doughnut hole' spur increase in foreign drug imports?

Congress, Obama continue health reform push

Obama makes impassioned argument for health reform, tough measures to combat health fraud

Detroit federal jury convicts doctor in Medicare fraud scheme

Watson Pharmaceuticals' TRELSTAR receives FDA approval for treatment of advanced prostate cancer

Private sector auditors to root out fraud in Medicare and Medicaid: CAGW lauds decision

First Edition: March 11, 2010

Proposed rule to exchange EHR's without patients' consent will affect Americans' health privacy

New policy document examines options to integrate care for dual eligible beneficiaries

National freeze on health insurance rates needed

Poor, minority adults with chronic kidney disease face increase risk of developing ESRD

Insight Imaging commences operations in partnership with ARA in the Dallas metro-area

President announces plans to crack down on health care fraud

Non-profit operations plugging health care gap in Chicago

6 Day Dental and Orthodontics improves access to oral health care

Senate poised to pass COBRA subsidy extension, Medicare 'doc fix'

Senate passes extension of COBRA and other unemployment benefits

States' legislative health initiatives stall

FDA approves Abbott's TECNIS Multifocal 1-Piece intraocular lens for cataract patients

Achieving and maintaining ISO 27001 and BS 10012 certifications

Expanding research and clinical options for children with cancer

Examining how pain could play a direct protective role in the gut

Latest News