Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Lawsuit Blames Florida Health Officials For Improper Medicaid Terminations
Axios: First Lawsuit Over Improper Medicaid Terminations Filed In Florida
Florida's Medicaid redetermination process is headed to court. A lawsuit filed against Florida health officials Tuesday marks the first legal challenge to how states are dropping some enrollees from program rolls after the end of a pandemic-era policy that protected coverage. (Goldman, 8/22)
AP: Florida Agencies Are Accused In A Lawsuit Of Sending Confusing Medicaid Termination Notices
Three Florida residents filed a federal lawsuit Tuesday, alleging that state agencies aren’t adequately notifying low-income and disabled people that their public health insurance is ending. The class-action lawsuit was filed in Jacksonville federal court by the Florida Health Justice Project and the National Health Law Program on behalf of the three Floridians, according to court records. The defendants are the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration and the Florida Department of Children and Families. (8/22)
More on the 'unwinding' of Medicaid —
Bloomberg Law: HHS Moves To Pause Medicaid Coverage Terminations In Texas
The Biden administration is working to pause terminations of Medicaid coverage in Texas after lawmakers demanded action over allegations that the state isn’t complying with federal requirements, a senior CMS official told Bloomberg Law. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Tuesday that people who were recently terminated due to administrative error will have their coverage restored by the end of the month. (Belloni, 8/22)
KEYE: State Employee Whistleblowers Raise Concerns About Thousands Of Texans Being Wrongfully Denied Medicare coverage, among other concerns
The Texas Congressional Democratic Delegation says nearly 600,000 Texans have lost their Medicaid coverage over the past four months, and 81% of those individuals were wrongly removed. They’re now demanding the federal government investigate and hold the state accountable for what they call grave failures. This all unfolded after whistleblowers penned a three-page letter to the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. The letter explained how thousands of pregnant women, cancer patients and senior citizens are being denied care. The whistleblowers also stated the situation is taking a toll on their well-being and say they're “desperately seeking help that will address these issues.” (Hubbard, 8/23)
Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette: Advocates Ask For Federal Government To Delay Arkansas’ Unwinding Of Medicaid Rolls
A group that advocates for Medicaid recipients is asking the federal government to intervene and delay the state's unwinding of the Medicaid rolls. Arkansas Community Organizations, a self-described grassroots nonprofit that advocates for social and economic justice, delivered letters to the Little Rock offices of U.S. Sens. John Boozman and Tom Cotton on Tuesday asking them to lobby federal officials to pause Arkansas' unwinding of the Medicaid rolls. The group also visited Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' office at the state Capitol. (Earley, 8/23)
Montana Public Radio: Frustration, Confusion And Distress Mark The Medicaid Renewal Process In Montana
Thousands are losing Medicaid coverage as the state redetermines Montanans’ eligibility. Federal officials say the state is trying to move through the process too fast, leading to procedural errors and confusion among enrollees. The state health department says it’s processing cases in a “timely and accurate manner.” But there are real consequences when someone is accidentally booted from the rolls. (Amestoy, 8/22)
