Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Alabama Agrees To Lift Medicaid 'Sobriety' Rule On Hepatitis C Drugs
AP: Ala. Medicaid To End Sobriety Mandate On Hepatitis Treatment
The U.S. Department of Justice said Monday that it has entered into a settlement agreement with Alabama’s Medicaid program to end a sobriety requirement for treatment of people with Hepatitis C. Federal officials said Alabama agreed to end a a “blanket sobriety restriction” that refused to pay for antiviral treatment for Hepatitis C if the Medicaid patient had used drugs or alcohol six months before or during treatment. (12/5)
In other Medicaid news —
Modern Healthcare: Medicaid DHS Payment 'Slippage' Saps Safety-Net Hospitals: Study
Nearly a third of Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital payments in 2015—the latest data available—went to hospitals that provided less uncompensated care than the median level in their respective states, according to an analysis of DSH payment data from 2011 to 2015 published Monday in the peer-reviewed Heath Affairs journal. Uncompensated care is the sum of patients’ outstanding bills known as bad debt and charity care. (Kacik, 12/5)
Missouri Independent: Republican Senator Files Bill To Address State’s High Maternal Mortality
In May, a bipartisan proposal to extend postpartum Medicaid coverage for low-income women in Missouri to a full year after they’ve given birth was close to gaining approval from the state legislature. But as the legislative session came to a close, the bill became collateral damage in the Republican Party’s bitter infighting, between the seven-member conservative caucus and the 17 Republicans generally aligned with leadership. (Rivas, 12/5)
WABE: Medicaid Members Face Losing Continuous Coverage As States Prep For End Of COVID-19 Public Health Emergency
The state is preparing for the anticipated end to the federal government’s COVID-19 public health emergency that’s extended Medicaid programs during the pandemic. This means Georgia Medicaid and PeachCare for Kids members are required to update their contact information in the system and prepare to recertify. (Mador, 12/5)
Mississippi Today: Fact Check: Feds Not Slated To End Medicaid Expansion Funding
Mississippi Insurance Commissioner Mike Chaney recently told members of the media he supports the expansion of Medicaid, but that the program most likely will end in 2025. That statement is inaccurate. (Harrison, 12/5)
In related news about Social Security disability benefits —
The Washington Post: Social Security Disability Benefit Offices Reach Breaking Point With Huge Claim Backlogs
The Disability Determination Division in Austin was at a breaking point. Inside its vast two-story warehouse, close to 130,000 claims were awaiting review by the state employees who help decide whether Texans will get disability benefits from the Social Security Administration — a backlog that would take at least a year to clear. Nearly 40 percent of the examiners had quit since January, driven out by crushing workloads and low wages that could not compete in the high-tech boomtown. Those who stayed toiled in long rows of cubicles or at home reviewing massive medical files. (Rein, 12/5)
