Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
CMS To Bolster Some State Reinsurance Programs With $452M Infusion
Axios: CMS Funnels $452 Million For State Reinsurance Programs
The federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will announce Tuesday it plans to send $452 million to more than a dozen states' reinsurance programs. The Biden administration has previously signaled support for these programs, which directly compensate insurance companies for some of their most expensive claims, preventing an increase in premiums. (Fernandez, 9/7)
In Medicaid news —
Oklahoman: Gov. Kevin Stitt Criticized For Removing 2 Doctors From Health Board
Gov. Kevin Stitt is coming under fire for removing two members of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority board shortly after a majority of its members voted against his interests on Medicaid managed care. A former president of the Oklahoma State Medical Association criticized Stitt for removing the only physicians from the nine-member board for the Health Care Authority, the state agency that oversees Medicaid. Dr. George Monks, the immediate past president of the medical group, accused Stitt of playing politics and attempting to stifle dissent within his administration. (Forman, 9/7)
And in other news about Medicare —
Modern Healthcare: Congress Faces Breakneck Pace To Address Medicare Pay, Telehealth This Year
Congress faces a lengthy to-do list when it returns from recess later this month, with action needed on major issues affecting healthcare providers. From dealing with the threat of Medicare payment cuts to trying to pass a $3.5 trillion "human infrastructure" bill that seeks to extend healthcare coverage to millions of Americans, there will be a mad scramble to get it all done by the year-end. (Hellmann, 9/7)
Modern Healthcare: The Partnership Strategy Medicare Advantage Plans Are Banking On
The booming Medicare Advantage market has become a strategic focus for major insurers and retailers to band together and grow their businesses. Insurers partnerships are reflective on the growing population of enrollees. Over the past few years, the number of Medicare Advantage enrollees has exploded, thanks to an increasingly diverse, cost-conscious and aging population that prefers the extra benefits not offered in traditional Medicare. (Tepper, 9/7)
In related news about telehealth —
KHN: Telehealth’s Limits: Battle Over State Lines And Licensing Threatens Patients’ Options
If you live in one state, does it matter that the doctor treating you online is in another? Surprisingly, the answer is yes, and the ability to conduct certain virtual appointments may be nearing an end. Televisits for medical care took off during the worst days of the pandemic, quickly becoming commonplace. Most states and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services temporarily waived rules requiring licensed clinicians to hold a valid license in the state where their patient is located. Those restrictions don’t keep patients from visiting doctors’ offices in other states, but problems could arise if those same patients used telemedicine. Now states are rolling back many of those pandemic workarounds. (Appleby, 8/31)
