Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Idaho Latest State To Add Work Requirements To Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion
CNN: GOP Lawmakers Set Up Roadblocks To Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion
Many residents in three deep-red states rejoiced last fall when voters approved Medicaid expansion, circumventing the objections of their elected representatives. But the victories in Utah, Idaho and Nebraska -- which would have extended coverage to tens of thousands of residents in each state under the Obamacare provision -- have proven short-lived. This week, Idaho's GOP lawmakers and governor joined their peers in Utah and Nebraska in slapping work requirements and other restrictions on access to Medicaid. Idaho legislators had considered bills with less stringent measures, but ultimately rejected those. (Luhby, 4/13)
Montana Public Radio: Montana Senate Passes Medicaid Expansion Reauthorization
The bill to continue Medicaid expansion in Montana passed out of the state Senate Tuesday after teetering on the edge of a deadline for end of session negations. The reauthorization of the health coverage program for low-income adults, packaged with new work and public service requirements for certain enrollees, passed 28-22 in its final Senate vote. Around 96,000 people are currently covered by expanded Medicaid in Montana. (Cates-Carney, 4/16)
MTN News: Medicaid Expansion Bill Passes Final Vote In Montana Senate
The bill would continue a program that provides government-funded medical coverage for about 96,000 lower-income adults in Montana. Medicaid expansion is set to expire in June unless the Legislature reauthorizes it. HB 658 would extend it several years and add new eligibility requirements. ... HB 658 will now go back to the House. If the House votes to approve the Senate’s amendments, the bill will go to Bullock for his signature. If they reject the amendments, a conference committee will have to reconcile the differences. (Ambarian, 4/16)
Salt Lake Tribune: Medicaid Expansion May Cover Birth Control For Thousands More Utah Women. Unwanted Pregnancies, Abortions Will Decrease, Advocates Say.
While anti-abortion measures in the recent legislative session spurred emotional debate, attracted lots of media coverage and in the last week drew a legal challenge, lawmakers took other, mostly-under-the-radar actions that could result in hundreds fewer abortions in the state. Access to contraception has quietly expanded over the past few months in Utah, thanks to changes in Medicaid coverage and the rollout of a new statewide reproductive health initiative. (Rogers, 4/15)
Nashville Tennessean: TennCare, Under Fire For Dropping Children, Gains 24K Kids In Two Months
More than 24,000 children joined TennCare in the past two months, partially reversing a two-year purge of kids from state insurance programs that has worried families, doctors and lawmakers alike. TennCare officials also insisted Tuesday they did not cut children without alerting their parents, despite acknowledging that they’ve used an outdated, “rudimentary” system to process applications and renewals for years. (Kelman, 4/17)
Des Moines Register: Feds To Investigate Whether Medicaid Firms Are Unfairly Denying Care To Disabled People
Federal investigators will look into whether private Medicaid management companies, including those covering more than 600,000 poor or disabled Iowans, are unfairly denying services. U.S. Sen. Bob Casey requested the review last week. The Pennsylvania Democrat wrote to the Department of Health and Human Services that he was troubled by media reports that the companies were cutting care to disabled Americans who rely on Medicaid. (Leys, 4/17)
Columbus Dispatch: New 'Transparent' Setup For Medicaid Drug Purchase Will Be Secret To Public
Medicaid managed-care provider CareSource last week announced that it had inked a new contract with pharmacy-benefit giant Express Scripts that CareSource said would bring groundbreaking transparency to Ohio’s billion-dollar Medicaid drug marketplace. But the contract itself is secret. (Schladen, 4/18)
