Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Kentucky Pushes Start Date For Enacting Medicaid Work Requirements To No Sooner Than July 1
The Associated Press: Kentucky Delays Start Time For Some New Medicaid Rules
State officials in Kentucky have delayed the start of some new eligibility rules for a portion of its Medicaid population. Kentucky is one of 36 states to expand its Medicaid program under former President Barack Obama's health care law to cover more people. President Donald Trump's administration gave Kentucky permission to require those people to do things like get a job, go to school or do community service work to maintain their coverage. The Bevin administration calls these rules the "community engagement" requirements. (1/31)
Nashville Tennessean: Report: TennCare Work Requirements Will Force Out 68,000 In Tennessee
As Tennessee officials move forward with a plan to require able-bodied adults to work, volunteer or go to school in order to keep state-funded health insurance, a new study finds that 68,000 could lose that benefit entirely as a result. Georgetown University Health Policy Institute researchers based their findings on what happened in Arkansas, which became the first state to impose a work requirement on Medicaid recipients in August. TennCare officials disputed the findings, saying their estimates show that only 56,000 people would be subject to the requirements, meaning fewer than that would lose their coverage. (Wadhwani, 1/31)
Health News Florida: Future Of Medicaid Cut Remains Unclear
A new era in the Medicaid program will begin Friday when the state eliminates a long-standing policy about paying health-care bills that accumulate while people prepare to apply for coverage. What’s not clear, though, is whether it will be a short-lived era or not. (Sexton, 1/31)
Wyoming Public Radio: Lawmakers To Embark On Another Medicaid Expansion Study
Since the legislature might once again be considering Medicaid expansion for those who can’t afford insurance, the Senate is considering a bill that would pay for a study. Senator Charles Scott said the Wyoming Department of Insurance will hire actuaries to do the work, which he said will make it an unbiased look at the issue. (Beck, 1/31)
Atlanta Journal Constitution: Georgia GOP Leaders Moving Toward Adding To Medicaid Rolls
For seven years, Georgia’s GOP leadership has opposed expanding Medicaid to cover the state’s poorest residents, citing worries about the long-term cost. That may be about to change. Gov. Brian Kemp has proposed the state spend $1 million to investigate how the state could get a “waiver” to give the state more flexibility to use federal dollars and may let Georgia add more people to the Medicaid rolls. (Bluestein and Hart, 2/1)
