Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Details Of Utah's Much-Anticipated Medicaid Expansion Plan To Be Rolled Out Tuesday
Salt Lake Tribune: Utah Republican Lawmakers To Huddle Behind Closed Doors On Medicaid Expansion
House and Senate Republicans will meet next week in closed-door caucuses for briefings on a proposal to use Medicaid funds to help provide health insurance to tens of thousands low-income Utahns. The plan they will hear is the product of hours of negotiations between leaders in the House and Senate and Gov. Gary Herbert, launched after Herbert's Healthy Utah plan failed to win support earlier this year in the Republican-dominated House. Depending on the reception the plan receives — particularly from skeptical House members — the governor could call a special session in mid-October to vote on the plan. (Gehrke, 9/24)
KSL: Details Of Medicaid Expansion Plan Plan Due Next Week
Details of the much-anticipated new plan for Medicaid expansion from Gov. Gary Herbert and legislative leaders will be rolled out Tuesday to lawmakers in closed-door meetings before being unveiled publicly. But the governor has yet to sign off on a final proposal, his spokesman, Jon Cox, said Wednesday. "There are still details that need to be negotiated by the group," Cox said. (Riley Roche, 9/24)
Politico Pro: Utah's Medicaid Expansion Hits Funding Roadblock
One red state’s unprecedented effort to finance Medicaid expansion through a broad array of health care sectors — from hospitals and doctors to drug makers and pharmacies — is running into serious roadblocks. Utah Gov. Gary Herbert and legislative leaders in July announced a deal to expand Medicaid, agreeing on a framework that would require “providers and benefactors of Medicaid dollars to pay their fair share.” But months later, Utah leaders are still facing objections from industry groups who argue they’re being asked to pay too much. (Pradhan, 9/24)
Also, Oregon is converting its Medicaid eligibility system to the one used by Kentucky -
Portland Business Journal: Oregon Medicaid On Track To Convert To Kentucky System, Will Cost $58M
The Oregon Health Authority plans to debut its new Medicaid eligibility system, imported from Kentucky, on Dec. 15. The transition project came in under budget at $58 million, said Sarah Miller, project director for OHA’s MAGI Medicaid System Transfer Project. The original estimate of $62 million. Miller said the new system will afford several advantages over the current one. (Hayes, 9/24)
Meanwhile, on the topic of health exchanges -
The Associated Press: Arkansas Governor Asks Panel To Put Exchange Plans On Hold
Gov. Asa Hutchinson said Thursday he wants Arkansas to halt work on setting up its own insurance exchange for consumers while lawmakers look at the future of the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion. The Republican governor said he's asked the Arkansas Health Insurance Marketplace board to wait for a legislative task force's recommendations on the "private option" expansion later this year. (DeMillo, 9/24)
