#Medicaid
#Medicaid

Defend your Medicaid and school-aid cuts, Gov. Hochul

Governor Hochul aims to rein in spending, while the Legislature prioritizes maintaining funding for special interests.

Medicaid and school aid are major spending categories, with rising costs and opposition to cuts. [ more ]

New York Post

Governor Hochul's only idea to solve New York's budget problem is to spend more

Governor Kathy Hochul presents a $232.7 billion state budget for the upcoming fiscal year but offers no solutions for spending problems.

Hochul proposes a modest spending hike of 0.5% and aims to sustain current unsustainable spending instead of reducing it. [ more ]

www.npr.org

Mental health care is hard to find, especially for people with Medicare or Medicaid

Access to mental health care in the U.S. is limited, especially for vulnerable populations.

Medicare and Medicaid face a dire shortage of mental health care providers. [ more ]

www.npr.org

Health

Vulnerable Americans are stuck in a Medicare-Medicaid maze. Is a fix in sight?

Challenges faced by individuals qualifying for both Medicare and Medicaid in accessing healthcare.

Introduction of the DUALS Act of 2024 by a group of bipartisan U.S. Senators to address inefficiencies in the system. [ more ]

Los Angeles Times

Opinion: California's great strides in Medi-Cal expansion are threatened by system inefficiencies

California is expanding its Medicaid program to ensure access to healthcare for all residents, but the annual Medi-Cal redetermination process may result in rescinding coverage.

Latino communities, who heavily rely on Medi-Cal, are particularly impacted by the potential loss of coverage. [ more ]

morehealthcare-access

Axios

2 months ago

Why health insurers suddenly want sicker patients

Insurers are expected to generate billions in profit from the dual eligible population, despite their expensive health care needs.

Insurance plans' government segment is projected to be 65% more profitable than the commercial segment by 2027. [ more ]

Axios

Healthcare

Surge in ACA enrollment brings tradeoffs for kids

More kids are transitioning from Medicaid to ACA marketplace for coverage, with differences in benefits and provider choices.

ACA enrollment for kids increased by 40% due to factors like lost Medicaid coverage and new policies boosting marketplace enrollment. [ more ]

www.bostonherald.com

Medicine

New way for states to cover pricey gene therapies will start with sickle cell disease

Federal program aims to make breakthrough gene therapies for sickle cell disease available to low-income patients.

The Cell and Gene Therapy Access Model involves federal government negotiating discounts with drug manufacturers for state Medicaid agencies. [ more ]

News

2 months ago

Medicine

Alumni perspective: My dad's cancer taught me why health disparities are so deep-and so stubborn

Disparities in cancer outcomes by race and income affect patients of color and low-income patients in securing timely diagnosis and quality care.

Patients on Medicaid face challenges in accessing care due to limited acceptance by hospitals and clinicians and the need to regularly recertify eligibility. [ more ]

New York Post

NY lawmakers fight gov's plan to reform murky $6B Medicaid program: 'I don't know why Hochul hates me'

Lawmakers reject Gov. Hochul's Medicaid homecare reforms

CDPAP program lacks oversight leading to potential abuse [ more ]

Times Union

No tax increases as Hochul set to unveil $233B budget proposal

Gov. Kathy Hochul is releasing a $233 billion executive budget that includes $2 billion for the migrant crisis.

The budget proposal will not increase personal income or business taxes, but will rely on revenue forecasts and reductions in Medicaid. [ more ]

The Nation

America Is Fast Becoming a Death-Dealing Nation

16 million Americans lost healthcare coverage since March 2023 due to Medicaid changes.

The end of pandemic-era Medicaid expansion programs is impacting millions of uninsured individuals. [ more ]

www.bostonherald.com

2 months ago

Halfway through unwinding,' Medicaid enrollment is down about 10 million

Medicaid enrollment is returning to pre-pandemic levels as millions of beneficiaries are being removed from the program in a process known as the unwinding.

While some beneficiaries no longer qualify due to increased income, others have been dropped for procedural reasons or have reenrolled or signed up for the first time. [ more ]

The Nation

California Gets One Step Closer to Universal Healthcare

California has closed one of the largest remaining gaps in its healthcare coverage system by providing healthcare coverage to all low-income residents, regardless of immigration status or age.

California has eliminated asset tests for Medicaid, allowing low-income individuals to access long-term care without having to sell their assets. [ more ]

PortlandTribune.com

4 months ago

Oregon Gov. Kotek announces $25 million partnership with coordinated care organizations

Oregon Medicaid insurers will pay $25 million from their profits to fund behavioral health projects for youths

The request for funding comes in response to the insurers reaping record amounts of money during the COVID-19 pandemic [ more ]

Axios

5 months ago

Aging America faces a senior care crisis

Affordable long-term care is increasingly hard to find as America's population of seniors grows.

Medicare does not cover long-term care services and Medicaid often has long wait lists for at-home support. [ more ]

Axios

5 months ago

States rethink Medicaid enrollment efforts as millions lose coverage

The largest-ever purge of Medicaid rolls is exposing cracks in the system for covering the poorest Americans.

Many people have been removed from Medicaid due to bureaucratic reasons, not necessarily because they no longer qualify.

States are reevaluating Medicaid eligibility after a three-year period, highlighting administrative and technical barriers to enrollment. [ more ]

Portland Monthly

Health

Enrolling a Teen in Rehab? That'll be $28,731, Up Front

Oregon Health and Science University researchers found that families of teenagers with opioid addiction can expect to spend $26,000 per month on treatment, with an upfront fee of $28,731 for self-paying customers.

For-profit treatment centers have more available beds, but they average triple the price of nonprofit facilities. [ more ]

www.npr.org

5 months ago