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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.

Number, percentage of uninsured U.S. residents decreased in 2007, according to U.S. Census Bureau

The number and percentage of uninsured U.S. residents declined in 2007 to 45.7 million people, or 15.3% of the population, according to an annual U.S. Census Bureau report released Tuesday, USA Today reports (Cauchon/Appleby, USA Today, 8/27).

28 Aug 2008

Changes to California health insurance programs might result in loss of coverage for thousands of children

Efforts by California to expand health insurance to all children have "stalled," and "thousands of kids are in danger of losing insurance" as a result of recent changes to state programs, the Los Angeles Times reports.

26 Aug 2008

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while receiving $56 billion in uncompensated care

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend about $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while other parties -- mainly the government -- will spend about $56 billion on uncompensated care for the uninsured, according to a study published online Monday in the journal Health Affairs, the Wall Street Journal reports.

26 Aug 2008

New York Health Department to decide soon whether Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS should be moved into managed care plans

The New York State Department of Health in the next few weeks is expected to issue a final decision on whether to switch Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS from fee-for-service plans to managed care plans, the AP/Long Island Newsday reports (AP/Long Island Newsday, 8/24).

26 Aug 2008

45 million Americans are uninsured

The U.S. Census Bureau released a report today that estimates that 45.7 million Americans were uninsured in 2007 compared to 47 million in 2006. While the report shows a slight drop in the number of uninsured, it underscores the urgent need to expand access to health coverage, according to Consumers Union, nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports.

26 Aug 2008

California's tobacco control program saved $86 billion in medical costs

California's state tobacco control program saved $86 billion (in 2004 dollars) in personal healthcare costs in its first 15 years, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco.

26 Aug 2008

CMS official expresses concerns with timeline, scope of Texas Medicaid overhaul plan

In an Aug. 7 letter to Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Albert Hawkins, CMS official Dianne Heffron questioned whether the state's plan to overhaul Medicaid by providing subsidized health coverage to 2.1 million uninsured residents would move quickly enough and be broad enough to justify relaxing federal rules, the Dallas Morning News reports. Heffron wrote, "It appears that significant, comprehensive reform would not begin until September 2010."

26 Aug 2008

Uninsured spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care

Americans who lack health insurance for any part of 2008 will spend $30 billion out of pocket for health services and receive $56 billion in uncompensated care while uninsured. Government programs pay for about three-quarters, or roughly $43 billion, of the uncompensated care bill, researchers report in today's Web Exclusive edition of Health Affairs. The researchers define uncompensated care as care received but not paid for fully by the uninsured or by a health insurer.

25 Aug 2008

79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt in U.S.

The proportion of working-age Americans who have medical bill problems or who are paying off medical debt climbed from 34 percent to 41 percent between 2005 and 2007, bringing the total to 72 million, according to recent survey findings from The Commonwealth Fund. In addition, 7 million adults age 65 and over also had problems paying medical bills, for a total of 79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt.

20 Aug 2008

Advisers to Presidential candidates discuss health care proposals during online debate

Advisers to the two major presidential candidates during an online debate on the Wall Street Journal Web site discussed the effect that their health care proposals would have on the employer-sponsored health insurance market, the Journal's "Health Blog" reports.

13 Aug 2008

Increased coordination between CMS, IHS could improve quality of care for American Indians, GAO report finds

Increased coordination between CMS and the Indian Health Service could improve the quality of health care provided to American Indians and Alaska Natives, according to a Government Accountability Office report released on Monday, CQ HealthBeat reports.

13 Aug 2008

New York Gov. Paterson proposes $1.04 billion in budget cuts, including $506 million to Medicaid

New York Gov. David Paterson (D) on Monday proposed cutting this year's state budget by 1%, or $1.04 billion, including $506 million in Medicaid cuts, to avoid a looming budget deficit, the New York Times reports (Peters, New York Times, 8/12).

13 Aug 2008

Redesigned West Virginia Medicaid plan restricting benefits for more than 90% of child beneficiaries, report states

West Virginia's redesigned Medicaid program is restricting benefits for more than 90% of child beneficiaries because of insufficient efforts by the state to enroll children in an expanded plan, according to a report released Thursday, the Charleston Gazette reports.

13 Aug 2008

Court refuses to halt 10% cut to Medi-Cal payments for physicians, dentists

A Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Tuesday ruled that the court does not have the authority to block a 10% cut to Medi-Cal and Denti-Cal payments that went into effect on July 1 and that the issue must be handled by the state Legislature or federal government, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Medi-Cal is California's Medicaid program.

3 Aug 2008

Kaiser roundup of health policy-related blog posts

While mainstream news coverage is still a primary source of information for the latest in policy debates and the health care marketplace, online blogs have become a significant part of the media landscape, often presenting new perspectives on policy issues and drawing attention to under-reported topics.

3 Aug 2008

Abbott Labs agrees to settle lawsuit over antiretroviral Norvir pricing

Abbott Laboratories on Wednesday agreed to pay between $10 million and $27.5 million to settle an antitrust lawsuit filed by HIV/AIDS advocates and other drug companies over an increase in the price of the company's antiretroviral drug Norvir, the AP/International Herald Tribune reports (AP/International Herald Tribune, 7/31).

3 Aug 2008

Florida Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Incentive Program has low participation, many unaware of program, study finds

Many Florida Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for a pilot program that rewards them for healthy behaviors are not participating, according to a study released on Thursday by the Jessie Ball duPont Fund, the Florida Times-Union reports.

29 Jul 2008

Amerigroup settles Medicaid lawsuit over denial of coverage to pregnant women for $225 million

Amerigroup on Tuesday said it will enter a $225 million settlement agreement with Illinois and the federal government over allegations that it denied coverage to eligible pregnant women, the Baltimore Sun reports (Baltimore Sun, 7/23).

24 Jul 2008

Parliamentarian memo says SCHIP resolution filed too late to be given fast-track status

The Senate Finance Committee canceled a vote scheduled for Wednesday on a resolution to block Bush administration rules limiting the expansion of SCHIP, after being informed by the Senate parliamentarian that the deadline for "privileged" status of the resolution had passed, CQ Today reports (Wayne, CQ Today, 7/22).

24 Jul 2008

America's Health Insurance Plans launches campaign in Ohio for nationwide universal health

America's Health Insurance Plans on Tuesday launched a new grassroots campaign designed "to build support for workable health care reform based on core principles shared by the American people: coverage, affordability, quality, value, choice and portability," the organization said, CQ HealthBeat reports.

24 Jul 2008

Medicaid News and Research

Number, percentage of uninsured U.S. residents decreased in 2007, according to U.S. Census Bureau

Changes to California health insurance programs might result in loss of coverage for thousands of children

Uninsured U.S. residents will spend $30 billion out-of-pocket on health care this year, while receiving $56 billion in uncompensated care

New York Health Department to decide soon whether Medicaid beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS should be moved into managed care plans

45 million Americans are uninsured

California's tobacco control program saved $86 billion in medical costs

CMS official expresses concerns with timeline, scope of Texas Medicaid overhaul plan

Uninsured spend $30 billion out of pocket for health care

79 million adults with medical bill problems or medical debt in U.S.

Advisers to Presidential candidates discuss health care proposals during online debate

Increased coordination between CMS, IHS could improve quality of care for American Indians, GAO report finds

New York Gov. Paterson proposes $1.04 billion in budget cuts, including $506 million to Medicaid

Redesigned West Virginia Medicaid plan restricting benefits for more than 90% of child beneficiaries, report states

Court refuses to halt 10% cut to Medi-Cal payments for physicians, dentists

Kaiser roundup of health policy-related blog posts

Abbott Labs agrees to settle lawsuit over antiretroviral Norvir pricing

Florida Medicaid Healthy Behaviors Incentive Program has low participation, many unaware of program, study finds

Amerigroup settles Medicaid lawsuit over denial of coverage to pregnant women for $225 million

Parliamentarian memo says SCHIP resolution filed too late to be given fast-track status

America's Health Insurance Plans launches campaign in Ohio for nationwide universal health

Achieving and maintaining ISO/IEC 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

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