Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
HHS Halts $10B In Child Care, Family Aid To 5 States Over Fraud Allegations
New York Post: Trump Cuts Off $10B In Funding To Five Blue States For Child Care, Social Services Over Fraud Fears
The Trump administration is cutting off more than $10 billion in social services and child care funding meant for a handful of Democrat-led states over concerns that the benefits were fraudulently funneled to non-citizens, officials told The Post Monday. The Department of Health and Human Services will freeze taxpayer funding from the Child Care Development Fund (CCDF), the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, and the Social Services Block Grant program. The states affected are California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York. (Christenson, 1/6)
Newsweek: Texas County Sues Trump Admin: What To Know
Dallas County has filed a federal lawsuit against Donald Trump’s health department and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), alleging that the federal government's decision to reclaim $70 million in public health funds was unlawful. The dispute centers on federal grants distributed to U.S. communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. (King, 1/7)
More health news from across the U.S. —
Healthcare Dive: New Jersey Healthcare Giant Poised To Acquire Another Hospital
RWJBarnabas Health has signed a definitive agreement that would absorb Englewood Health — which operates one of the last independent hospitals in the state — into its larger system. (Pifer, 1/6)
Modern Healthcare: Independence Blue Cross Partners With Tango In Pennsylvania
Independence Blue Cross and Tango have teamed up to help 118,000 Medicare Advantage members in Pennsylvania get quicker access to home health services. The partnership between insurer and the post-acute management services company aims to reduce hospital readmissions by ensuring Independence members receive in-home post-acute care within 48 hours of a hospital discharge, the companies said in a Tuesday news release. (Eastabrook, 1/6)
Chicago Tribune: Northwestern Memorial Hospital Workers Demand Better Staffing
A hospital workers’ union is calling on Northwestern Memorial Hospital to beef up its emergency department staffing, ahead of a scheduled state board vote next week on whether the hospital should be allowed to embark on a $96 million expansion project. (Schencker, 1/6)
Modern Healthcare: Medicaid Work Requirements Loom As CMS Guidance Lags
A year from the debut of national Medicaid work requirements, states and health insurance companies anxiously await critical instructions from federal authorities. States have until January 2027 to stand up and activate a new verification system that conditions Medicaid benefits on at least 80 hours per month of work or other qualifying activities, such as full-time schooling or volunteering. (Early, 1/6)
The Connecticut Mirror: Connecticut's Chief Fiscal Officer Urges Legislature To Be More Realistic With Medicaid Budgeting
Surging Medicaid costs and dramatically shrinking federal aid are a recipe for fiscal crisis, state Comptroller Sean Scanlon warned. And while Connecticut’s chief fiscal watchdog didn’t call for changing state budget caps that hamper the General Assembly’s ability to solve the Medicaid dilemma, Scanlon said all solutions need to be reviewed. (Phaneuf, 1/6)
New Hampshire Bulletin: Legislation Aims To Address Reports Of Abuse And Neglect In NH’s Disability Care System
State Sen. David Rochefort, a Littleton Republican, said he and the state’s legislative staff are in the process of drafting a late bill aimed at addressing systemic abuse and neglect issues in New Hampshire intellectual and developmental disability care system. (Skipworth, 1/6)
KFF Health News: Homeless Shelters For Seniors Pop Up, Catering To Older Adults' Medical Needs
Just outside Salt Lake City sits an old, two-story, brick hotel. It’s been given new life as a homeless shelter for seniors. The Medically Vulnerable People shelter — or MVP shelter, as it’s known — is for people 62 and older or for younger adults with chronic health issues. Residents share rooms designed to be accessible to those with mobility issues. There are also private bathrooms, which are a big deal for seniors struggling with incontinence. (Bolton, 1/7)
KFF Health News: Inside The Battle For The Future Of Addiction Medicine
Elyse Stevens had a reputation for taking on complex medical cases. People who’d been battling addiction for decades. Chronic-pain patients on high doses of opioids. Sex workers and people living on the street. “Many of my patients are messy, the ones that don’t know if they want to stop using drugs or not,” said Stevens, a primary care and addiction medicine doctor. While other doctors avoided these patients, Stevens — who was familiar with the city from her time in medical school at Tulane University — sought them out. (Pattani, 1/7)
