Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
From Ballot Initiatives To Work Requirements: Medicaid Is Undergoing A Major Shift From Previous Years
Roll Call: Medicaid Won’t Look The Same Next Year
This year could mark a significant shift for Medicaid programs across the country, as some states look to expand the government insurance program to more poor Americans while others seek to add more requirements for people who benefit. Initiatives to get Medicaid expansion put on the November ballot are underway in Utah, Nebraska, Idaho and Montana. And Virginia lawmakers appear on the verge of securing an expansion deal, after years of rejecting the idea. (Williams, 4/25)
Boston Globe: Medicaid Needs To Change, Trump’s Head Of Program Says In Boston
[Seema] Verma visited Boston Wednesday to speak to doctors, scientists, investors, and executives at the World Medical Innovation Forum, run by Partners HealthCare. She later sat down with the Globe. Here are some takeaways from her remarks during that conversation. (Dayal McCluskey, 4/25)
Boise State Public Radio: Idaho Medicaid Expansion Initiative Nearing The Finish Line
The campaign to ask Idaho voters whether they want to expand Medicaid eligibility says it’s met a significant milestone. It’s taken months, but Medicaid for Idaho organizer Sam Sandmire says the group has met one of two requirements to get the group’s initiative on the ballot in November. They gathered enough signatures across different legislative districts, but they still need about another 1,200 valid signatures from anywhere in the state. (Dawson, 4/25)
Concord (N.H.) Monitor: After Revisions, Medicaid Expansion Heads To N.H. House Floor For Final Vote
An amended plan to continue New Hampshire’s Medicaid expansion program cleared the House Finance committee nearly unanimously Wednesday in a 24-2 vote that sets the stage for a final vote on the House floor. After limited discussion, members recommended renewing expansion – which provides Medicaid coverage to about 50,000 low-income residents in the state – for another five years. (DeWitt, 4/25)
The Star Gazette: Elmira Hospitals Part Of State Pilot Program To Reduce Medicaid Costs
If you are a Medicaid recipient who makes frequent hospital visits, health officials want to help you find a better way. Two Elmira hospitals are taking part in a state pilot project designed to reduce Medicaid costs by making services more efficient and reducing unnecessary and costly hospital visits. (Murray, 4/25)
