Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Iowa Medicaid Officials Say Move To Private Managed Care System Going Well
Des Moines Register: Medicaid Leaders Tell Skeptics Privatization Going Well
Leaders of Iowa’s Medicaid program tried to convince skeptical state legislators Wednesday that the first two weeks of private management have gone well. “We’re pleased to report we have not had any major system issues,” Medicaid Director Mikki Stier told a Senate committee. She said when complications have cropped up, they are “responded to with compassion, and resolved as quickly and immediately as possible.” (Leys, 4/13)
KCRG (Cedar Rapids, Iowa): Iowa Medicaid Leaders Update Lawmakers On Problems, Successes
Officials with Iowa Medicaid and the three private insurance companies managing the system said the program's first week and half under privatization came with expected glitches but no system-wide failures. A Senate committee continues to meet with Medicaid leaders to request information about the transition and talk about problems they hear from Iowans. Wednesday, one senator who is not a part of that committee asked for a seat at the table after receiving two letter from constituents who said the system switch has delayed their cancer treatment. (McCarthy, 4/13)
The Associated Press: Some Medicaid Patients In New Mexico Face Long Waits
A spot survey by state analysts found low-income Medicaid patients in New Mexico are waiting on average from three weeks to nearly two months to get an appointment with a doctor, prompting new concerns about barriers to health care access for the poor and disabled. Staff at the Legislative Finance Committee on Wednesday released results of a “secret shopper” survey that they devised after struggling to find any other meaningful measure of wait times in multiple Medicaid contract evaluations for managed care organizations. (Lee, 4/14)
The Texas Tribune: Texas Seeks Court Permission To Cut Therapy Budget
Texas should be allowed to move forward with cutting payments to therapy providers who serve children with disabilities, a lawyer for the state argued in court Wednesday. The state is asking the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals to override a lower court’s decision temporarily blocking officials from implementing sweeping budget cuts to a state-funded therapy program. (Walters, 4/13)
Public Radio Tulsa: Health Care Associations Back Plan To Stop Medicaid Reimbursement Cuts
A proposal to stop upcoming Medicaid reimbursement cuts by raising cigarette taxes has the backing of two Oklahoma health care associations. The Oklahoma Hospital Association and the Oklahoma Association of Health Care providers want lawmakers to approve a $1.50 per pack tax hike, which would raise $182 million — enough to halt reimbursement cuts slated for June 1. (Trotter, 4/13)
Tulsa World: Medicaid Providers Urge Passage Of Cigarette Tax Increase
Medicaid providers on Wednesday urged lawmakers to raise the cigarette tax by $1.50 per pack to shore up the health care delivery system. ... Such an increase would require a three-fourths vote in both chambers or a vote of the people. The recently proposed Medicaid Rebalancing Act of 2020 would move thousands of people who are on Medicaid into the private market through an expansion of Insure Oklahoma. It would also reduce the number of people who are uninsured by providing options in the private market through Insure Oklahoma. (Hoberock, 4/13)
