Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Complex Medicaid Expansion Politics Take Shape In Various States
The New York Times: Complicated Politics Of Medicaid Expansion Are Playing Out State By State
In Pennsylvania, Gov. Tom Wolf, a newly elected Democrat, is scrapping his Republican predecessor’s conservative approach to expanding Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Mr. Wolf said this week that he would instead pursue a straightforward expansion of the government health insurance program for the poor, no longer charging premiums or limiting benefits for some enrollees. (Goodnough, 2/10)
Deseret News: Senate Republicans Talk Medicaid Expansion But Make No Decisions
Senate Republicans expressed frustration Tuesday after spending 90 minutes in a closed-door caucus talking about the state's options for Medicaid expansion without reaching any decision. "We're not finished," Senate President Wayne Niederhauser, R-Sandy, told reporters. The caucus plans to tackle the issue again Thursday because there are still unanswered questions, he said. (Romboy and Roche, 2/10)
The Montana Standard: Legislative GOP Promotes Its Healthcare Alternatives To Medicaid Expansion
Legislative Republicans Tuesday rolled out their proposals to expand health coverage for the poor in Montana and reform health care, saying the plan is focused on "getting the right services to the right people." The plan, outlined at a Capitol news conference, is an alternative to Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock's proposal to accept federal Medicaid funds to cover 70,000 low-income Montanans, they said -- and is targeted at those who really need it. ... The plan includes nearly 20 bills, some of them not yet introduced, to expand government coverage for some poor Montanans, fund more local mental-health programs, limit liability for medical providers, and encourage market-based solutions for health coverage. (Dennison, 2/11)
In other Medicaid news -
The Hill: Audit: Government Overpaid For Medicaid Enrollees Who Also Had Private Coverage
The federal government could save millions of dollars each year if it truly established Medicaid as the “payer of last resort,” a new audit has found. Nearly one in seven people enrolled in Medicaid was also insured by a private company – a total of 7.5 million people – which should mean a large amount of government savings. (Ferris, 2/10)
