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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.

The Baucus health care plan covers elective abortions

Today U.S. Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) introduced a detailed summary of his "America's Health Future Act of 2009" that will be marked-up in the Senate Financial Services Committee next week.

17 Sep 2009

Speaker Pelosi remarks on benefits for children in health insurance reform

Speaker Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks at an event for the Children's Health Fund this afternoon on the West Front Lawn of the Capitol to raise awareness for the more than 21 million children who will benefit from health insurance reform.

17 Sep 2009

HMS to provide third-party liability services to Medicaid agencies

HMS today announced that it had been awarded a contract by the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) to provide additional third-party liability services. With the addition of Minnesota, HMS now provides third party liability services to 39 state Medicaid agencies.

17 Sep 2009

Key Democrat says he won't support finance bill 'in its present form'

Sen. John Rockefeller, the Senate Finance Committee's number two Democrat, said Tuesday that he will not support Sen. Max Baucus' health reform bill "in its present form." Meanwhile, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid plans to open debate on the bill by the end of September.

17 Sep 2009

Baucus unveils much-anticipated Senate Finance version of health overhaul legislation

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus unveiled his version of a health overhaul bill, which has no public option and requires most people to have health insurance coverage.

16 Sep 2009

Will health reform squeeze the middle class?

Some Democrats say that the health care plan proposed by Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., could squeeze middle-income families, who might have to pay large amounts for mandated coverage.

16 Sep 2009

Baucus Bill garners no Republican support

Sen. Max Baucus is unveiling his health overhaul bill today at noon and news outlets noted it will not have any Republican support.

16 Sep 2009

Free caregivers provided to veterans and their spouses by TheraCare

Now, free long term care services, both home and community based, are being offered to qualified veterans and their spouses by TheraCare Home Health and Staffing, LLC.

16 Sep 2009

American consumers largely unsure of their health benefit plans

A survey released today from Plan for Your Health, the health benefits public education program launched in September 2004 by Aetna (NYSE: AET) and the Financial Planning Association (FPA), found that less than 20 percent of insured adults surveyed consider themselves very knowledgeable about their health benefits plan.

16 Sep 2009

State news round-up: Insurance coverage, infection reporting, immigrant health

News outlets report on a range of state health stories including infections in New Hampshire, children's insurance in Michigan, increased insurance coverage in North Carolina, immigrant health in Texas and long-term financial planning on Florida.

16 Sep 2009

Health care reform should include protections for retiree health care benefits

The executive director of a national retiree advocacy group has called proposals for nationalized health care (HR 3200) a "back-door bailout" that would enable companies to skip out on fiscal obligations to retirees and stick the taxpayers with the bill.

16 Sep 2009

Medicaid expansions could spell trouble for states, Democrats in Congress

Rising health costs, growing numbers of Medicaid enrollees and the possibility of a new mandate to increase the income threshold to become eligible for the program are combining to put state's governors, as well as Democrats in Congress in sometimes awkward positions.

16 Sep 2009

DaVita achieves target fistula usage rate in Virginia

DaVita Inc. (NYSE: DVA), a leading provider of kidney care services for those diagnosed with chronic kidney disease (CKD), has been recognized in the state of Virginia for reaching the End Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Network's patient quality improvement goal.

16 Sep 2009

Costs, partisan battles move center-stage in health care debate

As health reform progresses in Congress, President Obama may have to wade into a partisan debate of the most divisive issues, including Medicaid expansion, illegal immigration and abortion.

16 Sep 2009

Today's Op-Ed selections: Medicare, Medicaid and the Constitution

My patient had just been the recipient of a rare and highly valued medical commodity, a treatment that is as quantifiable in its effects as the milligrams of a medication or the number of stitches in a wound: Time (Daphne Miller, 9/15).

16 Sep 2009

Generic drugs create significant cost savings

Generic drugs and mail-order systems can save health plans money since brand name drugs generally cost 50 percent to 70 percent more than generics.

16 Sep 2009

Baucus works to iron out Medicaid, abortion and costs in health reform bill

Sen. Max Baucus is addressing the final questions in his Senate Finance Committee health care reform bill and plans to offer it Wednesday, opening the way for a committee vote next week and a floor vote the week after.

16 Sep 2009

Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority wins 2009 Innovations award

The Ash Institute for Democratic Governance and Innovation at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University today announced the Commonwealth Health Insurance Connector Authority as a 2009 Innovations in American Government Award winner.

15 Sep 2009

National Community Pharmacists Association calls for suspension of the DMEPOS accreditation requirement

The National Community Pharmacists Association (NCPA), has written a letter to Charlene Frizzera, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Acting Administrator, urging a suspension of the Medicare Part B Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics and Supplies (DMEPOS) accreditation requirement scheduled for October 1.

15 Sep 2009

OptiVol for accurate prediction of heart failure

Fluid monitoring with OptiVol® Fluid Status Monitoring is a more accurate predictor of worsening heart failure compared to daily weight monitoring in heart failure patients with implantable devices, according to results released today from the FAST (Fluid Accumulation Status Trial) clinical trial.

15 Sep 2009