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.

How health reform might affect 'Young Invincibles'

ProPublica profiles a "young invincible" and reports on what a health care overhaul might mean for him.

22 Dec 2009

Republicans blast Senate deal-making; contemplate delays

Republicans continue to critique the deal-making process to win over Senate votes for the health care overhaul.

22 Dec 2009

Prescription medication at lower costs for Oregon state agency employees

Public employees in the state of Oregon will soon have access to a wider range of prescription medication at lower costs.

22 Dec 2009

Health care reform legislation will increase premiums for New Yorkers

Mark Wagar, President and CEO of Empire BlueCross BlueShield urged further improvement to the federal health care reform legislation that today does little to control the rising costs of health care and will increase premiums for too many New Yorkers and too many across the nation.

22 Dec 2009

US Family Health Plan achieves 2009 member satisfaction

One might call it “the little healthcare plan that could.” While the debate over healthcare reform rages, the US Family Health Plan, a Department of Defense-sponsored healthcare plan administered by CHRISTUS Health of Houston for about 11,000 military family members in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana, has achieved a 2009 member satisfaction rating 44.5 percent above the national average.

22 Dec 2009

TCH 2010 bonds rated 'AA'

Fitch Ratings has assigned an 'AA' rating to Texas Children's Hospital's (TCH) upcoming $78.82 million series 2010 bonds issued through the Harris County Cultural Education Facilities Finance Corporation (Cultural Corporation). In addition, Fitch affirms the unenhanced 'AA' ratings on TCH's outstanding debt (approximately $735 million as of Sept. 30, 2009) issued by the Cultural Corporation and by the Harris County Health Facilities Development Corporation. vv

22 Dec 2009

GE extends Stimulus Simplicity program to include Centricity Business solution suite

As part of its ongoing efforts to facilitate healthcare providers’ adoption of healthcare information technology, GE announced today that it is extending the purchasing options associated with its Stimulus SimplicityTM program – 0% payment terms and deferred payments until 2012* – to include new purchases of its Centricity® Business solution suite.

22 Dec 2009

HQP enters into agreement with Aetna to provide nurse care management services

Health Quality Partners (HQP) has entered into a three-year agreement with Aetna to provide nurse care management services to Aetna Medicare Advantage Plan members with certain chronic health conditions who receive their care at participating practices in Bucks, Montgomery, Lehigh and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania.

22 Dec 2009

Winners, losers examined in Senate health bill tax treatment, insurer regulations

The Associated Press reports on some winners and losers in the Senate health reform bill including cosmetic surgeons who helped defeat a proposed 5 percent tax on their services and a handful of states getting more federal aid to help them afford a proposed Medicaid expansion.

21 Dec 2009

Senate Democrats win overnight procedural vote; move one step closer to approving health bill by Christmas

The New York Times: "After a long day of acid, partisan debate, Senate Democrats held ranks early Monday in a dead-of-night procedural vote that proved they had locked in the decisive margin needed to pass a far-reaching overhaul of the nation's health care system."

21 Dec 2009

Reid's fight to get 60 votes dims Liberals' hopes of compromises in conference committee

Although the liberals and union leaders once hoped that a House-Senate conference committee could undo some of the compromises and move the health overhaul bill more to their liking, the "titanic struggle to lock in Sen. Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) as the 60th senator for the first key test vote early Monday morning has changed all that," Politico reports.

21 Dec 2009

First Edition: December 21, 2009

From today's headlines, the biggest overnight news is the Senate's vote to move its sweeping health reform bill one step closer to the finish line.

21 Dec 2009

Fourth-quarter and full-year fiscal 2009 results announced by Prospect Medical Holdings

Prospect Medical Holdings, Inc., which owns and operates five community-based hospitals and manages the medical care of approximately 177,000 HMO enrollees in southern California, today announced financial results for its fiscal 2009 fourth quarter and year ended September 30, 2009.

21 Dec 2009

With deal in hand, Senate Dems proceed on health bill

Reuters: "The White House on Sunday sought to preserve the fragile alliance of Democratic liberals and moderates backing broad healthcare reform legislation, with tough decisions looming on abortion and a new government-run insurance program.

21 Dec 2009

Nelson becomes the 60th vote as Senate Dems plod through a snowy work Saturday

The Washington Post: "Sen. Ben Nelson (Neb.), the final Democratic holdout on health care, was prepared to announce to his caucus Saturday morning that he would support the Senate reform bill, clearing the way for final passage by Christmas."

21 Dec 2009

How the Senate health reform deal happened

A number of news outlets deconstructed the activity before Senate Democrats achieved the 60th vote for their health reform bill.

20 Dec 2009

$4.2M Medicare fraud: Three Detroit-area residents plead guilty

Jackson, Mich., resident Terrence Hicks and Detroit residents Muhammed Al Mahdi and John Saunders pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Michigan this week for their roles in a $4.2 million Medicare fraud scheme, Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division, Acting U.S. Attorney Terrence Berg of the Eastern District of Michigan, Special Agent in Charge Andrew G. Arena of the FBI's Detroit Field Office and Daniel R. Levinson, Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced today.

19 Dec 2009

Majority of young adults support health reform legislation, says survey

An overwhelming majority-88 percent-of young adults across the political spectrum think it is important for Congress and the President to pass health reform legislation that would assure affordable health insurance for all and improve health care, according to a Commonwealth Fund survey released today.

19 Dec 2009

Medica's clinic-based chronic care management program delivers promising results

Medica’s clinic-based chronic care management program with six clinic partners shows that focusing on care coordination is beginning to deliver promising results. A recent program evaluation reported that members participating in the clinical pilots had 1 percent more doctor visits and 3 percent more prescription fills than members with similar conditions seen in traditional clinic settings.

19 Dec 2009

Changes needed in healthcare reform legislation to prevent senior citizens and the disabled

Significant changes are needed in healthcare reform legislation to prevent senior citizens and the disabled from facing a difficult time obtaining homecare products through Medicare.

18 Dec 2009