Arizona legislation to better regulate rehab programs targeted by Medicaid scams is moving forward
A Navajo state senator in Arizona says she's hoping for final approval of her bill to tighten regulations for rehab facilities amid widespread fraud that has bilked hundreds of millions in Medicaid dollars.
Families say autism therapy helped their kids. Indiana's Medicaid cuts could put it out of reach
Starting with the new year, Indiana will implement a universal reimbursement rate for a therapy commonly used by children with autism, at a rate significantly less than what healthcare providers received on average in the past.
โItโs been horribleโ: More residents report issues with medical transportation provided by Medicaid, say itโs unreliable
After the News4JAX I-TEAM reported the arrests of 20 drivers of a transportation company that was a subcontractor of Modivcare โ a company contracted with the state of Florida to coordinate transportation for Medicaid patients to their health-related appointments โ more residents have been voicing their concerns about the issues plaguing medical transportation.
Appeals court takes up transgender health coverage case likely headed to Supreme Court
A federal appeals court is considering cases out of North Carolina and West Virginia that could have significant implications on whether individual states are required to cover health care for transgender people with government-sponsored insurance.
Fake Arizona rehab centers scam Native Americans far from home, officials warn during investigations
Hundreds of Native Americans have been recruited to addiction treatment centers in Phoenix from states as far away as Montana in a widespread billing scheme that mostly targeted Medicaidโs American Indian Health Program.
Navajo Nation declares widespread Medicaid scam in Arizona a public health state of emergency
A widespread Arizona Medicaid scam that has left an unknown number of Native Americans homeless on the streets of metro Phoenix is being declared a public health state of emergency by the Navajo Nation as fraudulent sober living homes lose their funding and turn former residents onto the streets.
New work requirements for federal aid? GOP pushes proposals in debt talks
Work requirements for federal aid programs have emerged as a sticking point in ongoing negotiations over raising the nationโs debt ceiling, and President Joe Biden has signaled openness to a possible compromise even as many in his party have balked.
Reports points to more jobs, other benefits from Medicaid expansion
Florida could add 134,700 jobs, lower the number of uninsured residents by 852,000 and pump billions of additional federal dollars into the economy if it would expand Medicaid to low-income adults without children, according to a report released Thursday.
Florida House eyes cuts for nursing homes, hospitals
The House on Thursday rolled out a health care spending proposal that includes deep cuts, including slicing Medicaid reimbursements to nursing homes by 2 percent, or $80.4 million in state and federal funding. Florida Health Care Association President Emmett Reed said the proposed Medicaid cuts to nursing homes would translate to about a $125,000 reduction in payments per facility per year. In all, the House proposed spending roughly $42.1 billion across the stateโs six health care-related agencies. Unlike the House, the Senate proposal wouldnโt cut funding for nursing homes. The House has proposed increasing the rates by $12.1 million in overall funds, while the Senate has proposed a $36.6 million increase.
COVID-19 law sparks dialogue on nursing home alternatives
Now, the COVID-19 relief bill is offering states a generous funding boost for home- and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalizing disabled people. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)WASHINGTON โ With the memory of the pandemic's toll in nursing homes still raw, the COVID-19 relief law is offering states a generous funding boost for home- and community-based care as an alternative to institutionalizing disabled people. As it has grown to cover about 1 in 5 Americans, it's also become the nation's default long-term care program, although qualifying is often an arduous process. While the federal government requires state Medicaid programs to cover nursing home care for low-income people, that's not the case for home- and community-based support services. For now, states and advocates for the disabled are awaiting guidance from the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on how the money in the COVID-19 law can be spent.
House unveils plan to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage to tackle minority disparities
Floridaโs House Speaker has vowed to tackle the disparities and heโs now backing legislation that would extend Medicaid eligibility for postpartum care. In Florida, nearly half of all births are covered by Medicaid, but recipients are only eligible for two months of postpartum care. โOne-third to one-half of maternal deaths occur in the postpartum period,โ said House Speaker Chris Sprowls. Sprowls is backing legislation that would extend coverage for the first time since 1976. Under the $240 million plan, Medicaid would cover mothers up to a year after delivery.
Medicaid incentive so far not enough to sway holdout states
Henry McMaster remains firmly opposed to the Medicaid expansion. The bump in federal funding would last two years for the states that join the Medicaid expansion. Laura Kelley this year called for legalizing medical use of marijuana and using the tax revenue to pay for expanding Medicaid. "Itโs a nonstarter, and we will continue to oppose the liberal wish list item of Medicaid expansion,โ he said. Kay Ivey left open the possibility of expanding Medicaid at some point in the future, but there are no plans to do so.
Medicaid offers free transportation for COVID-19 shots
Floridaโs Medicaid program will provide free transportation for people enrolled in the program who want to get COVID-19 vaccinations. The Agency for Health Care Administration announced Wednesday that members of Medicaid managed-care plans should let their health plans know they need rides when they are scheduling vaccinations. Medicaid enrollees who arenโt in managed-care plans can call a Medicaid helpline at 1-877-254-1055 to get the names and phone numbers of transportation services. Rides should be scheduled, according to an AHCA memo, at least three days in advance of the vaccination appointments.
Lawmakers mull how to spend $10B in federal COVID relief funds
TALLAHASSEE โ Now that President Joe Biden has signed the American Rescue Plan, Florida lawmakers must decide how to spend $10 billion in federal COVID relief funds. โA lot of our ongoing budget challenges are non-recurring,โ said Senate Budget Chair Kelli Stargel. These are recurring expenses and that influx of money is non-recurring funds. The governor has suggested lawmakers set the state budget at $96.6 billion, more than $4 billion higher than the current budget. Even with the new federal funds, lawmakers have remained skeptical of such a large increase.
Justices call off arguments over Medicaid work requirements
WASHINGTON โ The Supreme Court said Thursday it has called off upcoming arguments over a Trump administration plan to remake Medicaid by requiring recipients to work, agreeing to a request from the Biden administration. But the Biden administration already has decided preliminarily that work requirements do not fit with Medicaid's goal of providing health care to lower-income people. AdOther cases involved Trump administration immigration policies and a fight over unreleased portions of grand jury documents from special counsel Robert Muellerโs investigation of Russian interference in the 2016 elections. The high court had in December agreed to review lower-court decisions involving Arkansas and New Hampshire that found that the Trump administrationโs support for work requirements went beyond whatโs allowed by law. Arkansas had opposed the Biden administrationโs request that the cases be dropped.
COVID-19 bill gives states pathway to reduce maternal deaths
Labor and delivery are thought of as the riskiest times for new mothers, but many women die in the months after giving birth. The legislation gives states the option of extending Medicaid coverage to women with low to modest incomes for a full year after childbirth. Maternal health advisory groups in 19 states, from Texas to Massachusetts, and Washington to Tennessee, have recommended such an extension. AdSome Republicans who disdain the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief package say they would like to see the maternal health provisions made permanent. โWe must strive to improve maternal health outcomes and reduce maternal mortality,โ said Rep. Michael Burgess, R-Texas, who cosponsored legislation with Kelly, the Chicago Democrat, in the last Congress.
Georgia House passes budget as GOP rejects Democrat Medicaid expansion
The state would spend $27.2 billion in state tax money, plus billions more in federal money and money raised in fees and tuition. Thatโs up from $26.6 billion in state money this year. Brian Kemp had already proposed spending $22 million more on mental health, but House members want an overall increase of $58 million. The House would spend more on service providers, including $12.3 million for a 5% rate increase for providers of adult intellectual and developmental disability services. AdโThis House of Representatives recognizes the need for these services and is prioritizing them accordingly,โ' said Ralston, a Blue Ridge Republican.
Biden asks high court to drop 2 Trump-era Medicaid cases
WASHINGTON โ The Biden administration is asking the Supreme Court not to hear arguments in two cases on its March calendar about the Trump administration's plan to remake Medicaid by requiring recipients to work. The Biden administration has been moving to roll back those Trump-era plans and cited โgreatly changed circumstancesโ in asking Monday that the cases be dropped from the court's argument calendar. The high court had in December agreed to review lower-court decisions involving Arkansas and New Hampshire that found that the Trump administrationโs support for work requirements went beyond whatโs allowed by law. Medicaid is a $600 billion federal-state program that covers about 70 million people, from pregnant women and newborns to disabled people and nursing home residents. Under the Obama-era Affordable Care Act, states gained the option of expanding the program to many low-income adults previously ineligible.
Biden administration to undo Medicaid work requirements
(AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON โ The Biden administration is moving to roll back Medicaid work requirements in its latest effort to undo a controversial Trump-era policy. Federal health officials planned Friday to inform 10 states that they would revoke permissions granted by the Trump administration to impose such requirements, according to a Biden official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans. Officials were also set to withdraw the past administrationโs invitation for states to apply for approval for work requirements. AdThe Trump administration allowed states to require โable-bodiedโ adults drawing Medicaid benefits to work, volunteer or study. Before the pandemic, nearly 20 states had tried to implement requirements after the administration invited them in 2018 to submit such proposals.
Kansas governor: Medical pot should fund Medicaid expansion
Kelly championed Medicaid expansion in her first race in 2018 and promised to sign legislation legalizing medical marijuana, though she has not pushed that issue aggressively so far. But University of Kansas political scientist Patrick Miller said he wonders why any Kansas politician still opposes medical marijuana. The Legislature has taken only relatively small steps toward legalizing medical marijuana even as most other states have done it. She said legalizing medical marijuana could raise up to $50 million a year and her proposal โeliminates the argumentโ that Kansas can't afford Medicaid expansion. AdBut Republican lawmakers remained skeptical that medical marijuana could raise much money or cover Medicaid expansion costs.
Biden opens 'Obamacare' window for uninsured as COVID rages
AdThe Biden administration has ample resources for marketing, said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. โThe reason it wasnโt spent is the Trump administration spent its time in office cutting services that support consumer enrollment,โ Pollitz said. He cited a Trump policy that allows employers to provide tax-free money for workers to buy individual plans. AdThe idea of reopening Obamacare's health insurance markets in the pandemic has had broad support from consumer, medical, and business organizations. As the number of uninsured Americans grew because of job losses in the pandemic, the Trump administration resisted calls to reopen HealthCare.gov.
Biden to reopen 'Obamacare' markets for COVID-19 relief
President Joe Biden holds his face mask as he delivers remarks on COVID-19, in the State Dining Room of the White House, Tuesday, Jan. 26, 2021, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)WASHINGTON โ Fulfilling a campaign promise, President Joe Biden plans to reopen the HealthCare.gov insurance markets for a special sign-up opportunity geared to people needing coverage in the coronavirus pandemic. Biden is expected to sign an executive order Thursday, said two people familiar with the plan, whose details were still being finalized. Coverage is available to people who don't have job-based health insurance, with the Medicaid expansion geared to those with low incomes. โPresident Biden does not believe, as a principle, it should be difficult ... for people to gain access to health care,โ she said.
Florida lawmakers face $2.1 billion budget shortfall
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ State lawmakers are facing a $2.1 billion pandemic-induced budget shortfall for the budget starting in July, and thatโs the best-case scenario, according to state economists. The revenue shortfall means lawmakers will face tough decisions crafting next yearโs state budget. While state economists project a $2.1 billion shortfall, the number is heavily dependent on how the economy recovers, something difficult to project in a once in a lifetime pandemic. State economists predict it could take between one and two years. State economistsโ latest projections are largely based on data from November and September.
Stimulus money intended for nursing home residents, not the facility, FTC reiterates
That new round of stimulus money going out right now for those who qualify is $600. And if you or a loved one lives in a nursing home or assisted living facility, that money is not for the facility. The Federal Trade Commission says when the first round of stimulus money was sent out last year, certain facilities tried to keep that money from residents particularly those on Medicaid. The FTC says a facility cannot require somebody to sign it over to them even if that somebody is on Medicaid. If that money is taken by a facility, the FTC says to report it right away to the state attorney general and the FTC.