Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
In Wake Of Court's Decision On Kentucky's Work Requirements, Mississippi Tweaks Its Own Waiver
Modern Healthcare: Mississippi Revamps Medicaid Work Requirement Request
Mississippi has revamped its request to impose work requirements on its Medicaid beneficiaries, a move to address federal concerns that its original proposal would have left some without insurance. In the overhauled proposal, Mississippi guarantees beneficiaries will receive up to 24 months of coverage if they comply with the proposed work requirements, which include working at least 20 hours per week, volunteering or participating in an alcohol or other drug abuse treatment program. Mississippi submitted its initial request late last year. (Dickson, 7/5)
Louisville Courier Journal: Dentists Reporting Denied Care After Medicaid Cuts
Two advocacy groups on Thursday called on the administration of Gov. Matt Bevin to ensure children and pregnant women are not affected by the state's abrupt decision to cut dental and vision benefits to nearly a half-million Kentuckians. The Kentucky Oral Health Coalition said in a statement it has received about a half-dozen reports directly from dentists that the cuts were resulting in "denial of routine dental care of eligible children and pregnant women." (Yetter, 7/5)
Kaiser Health News: Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Whither Work Requirements?
A federal District Court judge in Washington, D.C., has — for now — blocked Kentucky’s proposal to add a work requirement for much of its adult Medicaid population. The decision, while far from final, is likely to prompt lawsuits from advocates in other states where the Department of Health and Human Services has approved similar proposals. Also this week, HHS released updated enrollment information about those purchasing health insurance in the individual market. Despite efforts by the Trump administration and Republicans in Congress to depress enrollment by cutting outreach and canceling federal payments to insurers, the number of people who actually paid their first month’s premium was up slightly in 2018, compared with 2017. (7/5)
The Hill: Medicaid Expansion Likely To Appear On November Ballot In Nebraska
Nebraska voters will decide whether to expand Medicaid in their state when they cast their ballots in November's midterm election. Insure the Good Life, an activist group seeking Medicaid expansion in Nebraska, announced on Thursday that it had gathered more than 133,000 signatures in support of a ballot initiative to authorize the expansion — well above the 85,000 valid signatures required to put the proposal on the ballot. (Greenwood, 7/5)
