12 Million Gain Medicaid Coverage Under Health Law, Administration Says

The Hill: Almost 12 Million Gained Medicaid Coverage Under ObamaCare
More than 11.7 million more people have health insurance through Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance through ObamaCare, new data show. The new report from the Obama administration shows that as of the end of February, there were over 11.7 million more people enrolled in the programs compared to the period before October 2013, when ObamaCare’s coverage expansion went into effect. The numbers come on top of another 11.7 million people who signed up for private insurance through the law’s marketplaces. (Sullivan, 5/1)

Forbes: As States Expand Medicaid, Unpaid Hospital Bills Disappear
With more states expanding Medicaid coverage under the Affordable Care Act, hospital operators are reporting fewer unpaid medical bills and falling charity and uncompensated care expenses. ... This, coupled by an improving economy, is boosting revenues for hospital companies like Community Health Systems, Tenet Healthcare, HCA Holdings and Universal Health that are all seeing major reductions in numbers of uninsured patients. (Japsen, 5/3)

The Philadelphia Inquirer: Pa. Unravels Corbett's Health-Plan Mess
Healthy Pennsylvania was supposed to be former Gov. Tom Corbett's signature effort, a private-market plan designed to qualify the state for millions in Medicaid expansion dollars while mollifying foes of the Affordable Care Act. But when Corbett lost his reelection bid in November to Democrat Tom Wolf, who had vowed to replace Healthy Pennsylvania with traditional Medicaid expansion, many people thought the Republican would shelve the complex hybrid program. Corbett didn't and the result was chaos. ... The mess should be coming to an end. Last week, the state Department of Human Services announced that it had transferred 121,234 people from Healthy Pennsylvania's private coverage option to HealthChoices, a traditional Medicaid expansion program. (Calandra, 5/3)

The Hill: Pennsylvania Prepares Backup Plan For ObamaCare Case
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) on Friday outlined a contingency plan for his state in case the Supreme Court guts ObamaCare. Wolf’s plan calls for Pennsylvania to set up its own insurance marketplace if the court rules against the Obama administration in the case King v. Burwell. The case could revoke subsidies that help 7.5 million people afford healthcare coverage, but only in the roughly three-dozen states relying on the federal marketplace. If Pennsylvania sets up its own marketplace, as 13 other states have, subsidies there would continue to flow. (Sullivan, 5/1)

The Associated Press: Obama Administration Raises Medicaid Expansion Concerns
The Obama administration has concerns about provisions in Montana's new law to expand Medicaid, but it is willing to work with the state to overcome them, a spokesman for HHS said on Friday. Agency spokesman Ben Wakana said in a statement that officials are encouraged by the bipartisan support of Medicaid expansion and look forward to working with the state on a few concerning issues. "As we consider the state's proposal, our priority will be to make sure that any waiver approval provides for coverage that is affordable and accessible for Montanans and does not impose significant cost-sharing or premiums on individuals with very low incomes," Wakana said. (Baumann, 5/3)

Politico Pro: Obama Administration Faces Key Medicaid Test In Michigan
About 600,000 low-income adults have signed up for expanded Medicaid in Michigan, but that new coverage could soon be threatened as the Republican-led state seeks major concessions from the Obama administration to allow conservative-favored reforms to the program. ... By September, Michigan must seek a federal waiver requiring low-income adult Medicaid enrollees earning above the poverty line — about $11,800 for an individual — to make a choice once they’ve been enrolled for four years: either sign up for a subsidized private health plan through HealthCare.gov, or pay potentially up to 7 percent of household income toward their health care costs to stay enrolled in Medicaid. The first option would essentially allow Michigan to accomplish what some other Republican-led states have been asking of the Obama administration for years — receive full Obamacare funding for a partial expansion of Medicaid just to the federal poverty line. (Pradhan, 5/1)

The Associated Press: Patients To Have Say In Suit Disputing Arizona Medicaid Plan
Patients who have received insurance coverage through Arizona's Medicaid expansion will have a say in a lawsuit challenging the legality of the plan, an advocacy group said Saturday. The Arizona Center for Law in the Public Interest, which represents low-income Arizona residents, applauded a judge's decision to grant their clients' request to help defend the expansion. (5/3)