Dems Urge Watchdog Office To ‘Exercise Vigorous Oversight’ If Tennessee Is Approved For Medicaid Block Grants
Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) say Tennessee's proposal would create a financial incentive for the state to cut coverage benefits for consumers, because it's allowed to keep some amount of any of the unspent federal funds it's awarded. Medicaid news comes out of Kansas and Ohio, as well.
The Hill:
Democrats Warn Against Tennessee Medicaid Block Grant
A pair of Democrats from the House and Senate want a government watchdog to make sure Tennessee does not abuse funding if the Trump administration approves the state’s request to block-grant Medicaid. In a letter sent Tuesday, Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) urged the Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General to “exercise vigorous oversight” if Tennessee’s waiver request is granted. (Weixel, 1/14)
Modern Healthcare:
Kansas Hospital Association CEO Praises Bipartisan Medicaid Expansion Deal
Kansas Hospital Association CEO Tom Bell will retire in September after helping push through a hard-fought bipartisan deal to expand Medicaid to an estimated 150,000 adults earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level. The expansion, which would start next January, is expected to ease the rural hospital crisis in his state, where five hospitals have closed since 2010 and another 29 are on the financial brink. Bell, who started with association as legal counsel in 1986 and has served as CEO since 2005, spoke with Modern Healthcare senior reporter Harris Meyer about how the Kansas agreement fits into the national battle over Medicaid expansion. (Meyer, 1/14)
Dayton Daily News:
Ohio Medicaid Says It Inherited 'Mess' From Kasich Administration
The director of the Ohio Medicaid program said Gov. Mike DeWine’s administration inherited a “mess” from the Kasich administration. Ohio Department of Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran, in a 2019 year-end summary memo to DeWine, described what she called a series of inherited issues the department confronted during its first year under the DeWine administration. (Schroeder, 1/14)
