Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Families Struggle To Find Providers Who Will Accept Low Medicaid Rates For Autism Treatment
Stateline: Children With Autism Left Behind By Low Medicaid Rates
A similar class action federal lawsuit was filed late last month in Northern California on behalf of young, severely disabled children who, the suit alleges, were not receiving the approved in-home nursing care that the lawsuit contends would keep them from institutionalization. That case also alleges a shortage of available nurses willing to accept low Medicaid reimbursement rates. Both cases assert that the states are violating the law by not providing medically necessary treatment and, as the South Carolina suit alleges, are causing “irreparable injury” to children in need of those services. Neither case specifically asks the states to pay providers more, but legal and health policy analysts say that could be the eventual result. Medicaid, which provides health care coverage to low-income people, is a joint federal-state program. (Ollove, 6/12)
Des Moines Register: How Do Voters Feel About Iowa's Health Care, Medicaid And Abortion Policy?
A February Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll found that nearly three-quarters of Iowans believe the state’s mental-health system is in crisis or is a big problem. Reynolds signed legislation that expands mental health services, including the addition of six regional “access centers.” Though it gained unanimous support, Democrats say it did not go far enough and lacks the funding to be fully effective. ... Former Republican Gov. Terry Branstad moved to privatize the state’s Medicaid system, which has since been fraught with challenges. Reynolds, in her first Condition of the State address, acknowledged that “mistakes have been made,” and legislation advanced making small changes to the system. But there has not been widespread reform, and Hubbell throughout the primary advocated for returning the system to state control. (Pfannenstiel, 6/11)
Cleveland Plain Dealer: Ohio Cancels $1.1 Billion Medicaid Cut To Hospitals
The state has canceled a planned $1.1 billion Ohio Medicaid cut to hospitals, saying an uptick in the economy and reshuffling money in the health care program has prevented the reduction. The cut would have represented 5 percent of what Ohio Medicaid pays hospitals to treat some 3 million program recipients who qualify based on their incomes, health conditions and disabilities, among other factors. (Hancock, 6/11)
