Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
High Court Hears Arguments In Bid To Force Higher Medicaid Payments
Kaiser Health News: High Court Considers If Providers Can Sue States For Higher Medicaid Pay
The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a case that could block hospitals, doctors — or anyone else — from suing states over inadequate payment rates for providers who participate in the Medicaid program for low-income Americans. Federal law requires Medicaid, which covers 70 million people, to provide the same access to care as that given to people with private insurance. But many doctors avoid seeing Medicaid recipients, saying the program pays too little. That can lead to delays and difficulties in getting care for millions of poor people. (Galewitz, 1/21)
The Fiscal Times: Docs Battle States on Meager Medicaid Payments
Health providers who serve Medicaid patients are paying close attention to a new Medicaid case now before the Supreme Court that could have big financial implications. (Ehley, 1/20)
CQ Healthbeat: Bid To Force Higher Medicaid Payments Reaches Supreme Court
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments Tuesday on whether states can be forced to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates in an effort to keep pace with rising costs. The case comes several years after a group of private health care providers serving disabled adults and children in Idaho filed a lawsuit against the state’s Health and Welfare Department for freezing Medicaid reimbursement rates at 2006 levels, despite a study showing costs had risen. (Zanona, 1/20)
Politico Pro: High Court Considers Providers’ Medicaid Pay Case
The Supreme Court weighed a challenge over Medicaid rates on Tuesday, focusing often skeptically on what remedies providers have to ensure they are paid adequately for services and whether state budgets would balloon if private parties were able to contest rates through the courts. (Pradhan, 1/20)
Meanwhile, regarding legal action related to a separate challenge, this one related to the health law -
The Associated Press: Wisconsin Senator Seeks To Revive Health Care Lawsuit
Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson is out to convince an appellate court to revive his lawsuit against part of the federal health care overhaul. Johnson sued last year over a requirement that congressional members and their employees seek government-subsidized health insurance through small-business exchanges. A federal judge tossed it out, saying Johnson didn’t have legal standing to bring it. (1/21)
