House Democrats Push Localized Medicaid Expansion In Resistant States
Rep. Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas) introduced a bill that would work with city and county leaders to cover more people. Meanwhile, the latest stats show that 9 million Americans enrolled in Medicaid during the pandemic. And Missouri's expansion battle heads to court, while the state's Medicaid funding is at risk over contraceptives coverage.
Houston Public Media:
Congressional Democrats Try To Go Around Conservative State Leaders To Expand Medicaid In Texas, Elsewhere
Congressional Democrats have finally found a way to expand Medicaid in the dozen states that haven't yet done so. They will attempt to go around conservative state government leaders who have rejected the prospect for a decade, and instead work with local leaders. Representatives from 12 states announced outside the U.S. Capital that the Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-eligible Residents (COVER) Now Act would give dollars directly to local governments and hospitals that want to help expand Medicaid. (Flahive, 6/17)
KHN:
Pandemic Swells Medicaid Enrollment To 80 Million People, A ‘High-Water Mark’
The pandemic-caused recession and a federal requirement that states keep Medicaid beneficiaries enrolled until the national emergency ends swelled the pool of people in the program by more than 9 million over the past year, according to a report released Thursday. The latest figures show Medicaid enrollment grew from 71.3 million in February 2020, when the pandemic was beginning in the U.S., to 80.5 million in January, according to a KFF analysis of federal data. (KHN is an editorially independent program of KFF.) (Galewitz, 6/17)
From Missouri —
AP:
Missouri Risks Medicaid Funding Over Contraceptive Fight
Missouri is at risk of losing $4.5 billion in tax revenue and federal funding for Medicaid because of a fight between lawmakers over contraceptives. At issue is a state tax on hospitals, doctors and other health care providers that is used to draw down billions of dollars in federal funding for the government health insurance program, which covers children, low-income adults and people with disabilities. The Republican-led Legislature adjourned last month without reauthorizing the tax after fighting over whether to include a ban on Medicaid coverage for “any drug or device approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration that may cause the destruction of or prevent the implantation of, an unborn child.” Federal law requires Medicaid programs cover family planning. (Ballentine, 6/17)
KSHB:
In-Depth: Courts Now Must Resolve Missouri’s Medicaid Expansion Fight
The courts will decide the fate of Medicaid expansion in Missouri, which voters passed last summer. It is slated to expand July 1. The GOP-dominated state legislature chose not to provide funding for it during the recently concluded session — a decision Rep. Patty Lewis, a Democrat from Kansas City, called “a destruction of the will of the electorate.” (Palmer, 6/17)
Missouri Independent:
Missouri Hospitals Sue To Block Changes In Medicaid Payments
After obtaining some relief from lawmakers for revenue cuts likely from a change in the way Medicaid pays for outpatient services, Missouri hospitals are asking the courts for relief from a coming change in payments for inpatient care. The Missouri Hospital Association on Friday filed a lawsuit in Cole County alleging the Department of Social Services is not following state law in making the changes. Instead of establishing the new payment method by a rule, the association alleges that the department is improperly pushing the change through by altering its contracts with managed care providers. (Keller, 6/17)
In other state Medicaid news —
Georgia Health News:
As Insurer Repays Millions To 2 States, Georgia May Be Next
The corporate parent of a large Georgia insurer has agreed to pay a total of more than $140 million to two states over a billing dispute involving Medicaid pharmacy benefits. Ohio will receive $88 million and Mississippi $55 million from St. Louis-based Centene, which is the parent company of Peach State Health Plan, an insurer in the Georgia Medicaid program. Georgia may seek similar compensation. (Miller and Grapevine, 6/17)
The Oklahoman:
Oklahoma Medicaid Expansion Gives Health Coverage To Thousands
More than 113,000 Oklahomans will have health coverage starting next month through Medicaid expansion. Of those, 17,591 are people who had never applied before, according to the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. The rest — 95,829 — are people whose recent applications were reprocessed or those who were transitioned into SoonerCare from more limited benefit programs. (Branham, 6/18)
Dayton Daily News:
State Rejects Protest To New Ohio Medicaid System
An insurance company that has challenged the DeWine administration’s overhaul of the Ohio Medicaid program lost its appeal. Paramount, an insurance affiliate of Toledo-based ProMedica, was the only contractor part of the current system that was not picked to be part of the new system. Paramount filed a protest of that decision. (Schroeder, 6/18)
