Iowa Lawmakers Propose Ban On Medicaid Funding For Transgender Surgeries Following Decision By State’s High Court
The provision would prohibit any state or local government unit or tax-supported district from providing sex reassignment surgery. The move follows a ruling by the Iowa Supreme Court that struck down a ban on Medicaid payments for “surgeries for the purpose of sex reassignment.” Medicaid news comes out of Georgia, Wisconsin and Arkansas, as well.
Des Moines Register:
Iowa Republicans OK Banning Medicaid Money For Transgender Surgery
Republican lawmakers at the Iowa Capitol have passed legislation that would prohibit using public insurance dollars, including Medicaid, to pay for transgender surgery. The Republican-controlled House voted for the proposal Saturday afternoon, one day after the GOP-majority Senate advanced it. No Democrat voted for the plan, which now requires approval from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds to become law. The restrictions would go into effect immediately if enacted. (Leys and Rodriguez, 4/26)
Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
Grady Clinic Could Be Model For Georgia Medicaid Waiver
Clark entered a program that Grady invented in 2017 to lower its emergency room costs by diverting some of its most frequent ER visitors into a specialized clinic. Grady leaders believe their program could be replicated across the state, and possibly across the country, to cover more patients at a lower cost. ...As Gov. Brian Kemp explores options for a limited expansion of Medicaid in Georgia, Grady’s program could provide one way to bring more federal health care dollars into the state to cover more people in a cost-efficient way. (Hart, 4/26)
The Associated Press:
Wisconsin Republicans Seek Compromise On Medicaid Expansion
Wisconsin Republicans open to a possible compromise with Democratic Gov. Tony Evers on Medicaid expansion are looking at ways to accept the federal funding while not appearing to cave in on the issue, even as GOP leaders remain steadfastly opposed. Evers is also publicly refusing to bend from his full expansion proposal, despite its near-certain demise in the Republican-controlled Legislature. Chatter about finding a compromise is giving a thin thread of hope to those who have pushed for years to take the money and use it for a host of health-care initiatives. (Bauer, 4/29)
Arkansas Online:
Suit Targets Medicaid Payment Delays; Class-Action Status Sought For Providers Of Health Care To 40,000 Arkansans
A Benton attorney is seeking class-action status in a lawsuit over delayed payments to health care providers -- delays that resulted from the shift to managed care on March 1 for about 40,000 Medicaid recipients with significant mental illness or developmental disabilities. In the lawsuit, Luther Sutter has asked Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen to order the state to freeze further payments to the managed-care companies until providers are paid what they are owed. (Davis, 4/28)
Meanwhile —
CQ:
Funding Crisis Looms For Promising Mental Health Clinics
The promise of higher federal Medicaid payments is giving eight states the chance to show that one-stop mental health clinics with 24-hour crisis care could offer patients a better option than the de facto safety net of police departments and emergency rooms. But the two-year experiment is drawing to a close now, leaving the program with an uncertain future if Congress doesn’t extend it. (Siddons, 4/29)
