Medicaid Reimbursement Cuts In Texas Leave Many Rural Children Without Therapists

NPR: Cuts In Texas Medicaid Hit Rural Kids With Disabilities Especially Hard
Last year, the Texas legislature approved a $350 million cut in Medicaid reimbursement rates to early childhood intervention therapists and providers. The cuts, made to help balance a billion dollars in property tax relief, affect the most vulnerable Texas children — those born extremely prematurely or with Down syndrome or other genetic conditions that put them at risk for developmental delay. For months, providers of in-home physical, speech and occupational therapies have continued to serve children who have disabilities, despite mounting financial losses. Now some have had to shut their doors, curtail services or halt their home-visit programs, leaving many children without treatments their parents feel are crucial to the kids' well-being. (Goodwyn, 11/3)

Kansas Health Institute: Disability Support Providers Dispute KDADS Leader’s KanCare Characterization 
A public letter by the head of the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services praising KanCare’s effect on Kansans with disabilities has drawn a string of rebuttals from people who provide disability services. Tim Keck’s letter was published Oct. 24 by the Wichita Eagle editorial page. In it, the interim KDADS secretary said KanCare — the state’s move to privatize Medicaid under the administration of three insurance companies — has improved the lives of Kansans with disabilities and that the state’s safety net is strong. (Marso, 11/3)

AL.com: Medicaid Chief Urges Lawmakers To Stick With Managed Care Plan
Medicaid Commissioner Stephanie Azar urged lawmakers not to abandon a plan to change to a system of managed patient care, a sweeping change that might be in jeopardy because of uncertain funding. The Legislature's contract review committee today temporarily blocked an $8.3 million, one-year contract renewal with a consulting firm that is helping Medicaid with the transition to regional care organizations, or RCOs. (Cason, 11/3)

VT Digger: Millions In Medicaid Money Being Transferred To Primary Care
The Department of Vermont Health Access has started reallocating $4 million in Medicaid money from academic medical centers to family doctors. The department reduced what it pays the University of Vermont Medical Center by $2.9 million, what it pays Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center by $1 million, and what it pays out-of-state academic medical centers by $100,000. ... Lawmakers say the Legislature approved the $4 million transfer after defeating a proposal from Gov. Peter Shumlin to raise $17 million from a new tax on independent doctors and dentists and then put $4.8 million of that money toward increased reimbursements. (Mansfield, 11/3)

The (Baton Rouge, La.) Advocate: Financial Forecast Predicts Modest Surplus For Department Of Health This Year
The Louisiana Department of Health and the state's Medicaid program are in one of the strongest financial positions in six years, after the state opted to expand Medicaid through the federal Affordable Care Act, a new report shows. LDH's fiscal forecast report predicts that, because of the infusion of federal dollars tied to Medicaid, the department will end the budget cycle next June with a modest $2.85 million surplus, after facing deficits in five of the previous six years. (Crisp, 11/3)

Stateline: How Some States Make Effective Birth Control More Available
At least 17 states have changed procedures so their Medicaid health care programs for the poor will pay hospitals to insert the implants at the most opportune moment — when women are already at the hospital having a baby. That often is the only opportunity that many of them have for a face-to-face discussion with doctors about the best methods of birth control. It’s also the occasion to do something about it. (Ollove, 11/4)

Related KHN coverage: To Curb Unintended Pregnancy, States Turn To IUDs — In The Delivery Room (Luthra, 10/21)