Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Legislative Panel Urging Changes To Help Insurers In MassHealth
The Boston Globe: State House Panel Seeks Changes To Aid Insurers
A legislative committee is calling for changes to help sustain health insurance companies that manage care for Medicaid patients and last year suffered millions of dollars in losses. Medicaid, known locally as MassHealth, is the government program that provides health coverage to 1.8 million low-income Massachusetts residents. About 42 percent of these people are members of six health insurers, known as Medicaid managed care plans. (Dayal McCluskey, 10/21)
WBUR: Legislative Leaders Caution On Aspects Of Baker’s Plan To Tackle Opioid Crisis
State House and Senate leaders are expressing serious skepticism with a part of Gov. Charlie Baker’s plan to tackle the opioid abuse crisis: a proposal to let doctors hold addiction patients against their will for up to three days while trying to place them in treatment. House Speaker Robert DeLeo is worried that the governor’s plan for involuntarily holding drug users takes a judge out of the decision-making process. (Guzman, 10/20)
The Associated Press: Lawmakers Question Plans To Move Disabled From Institutions
Several New York state lawmakers raised concerns Tuesday about federal and state policies to move more disabled people from institutions to community residences and managed care for behavioral treatment. The state Office for People with Developmental Disabilities currently supports 38,000 New Yorkers in residences and 80,000 with day services. It has about 400 people in institutional settings, a total the agency plans to reduce to 150, Deputy Commissioner Helen DeSanto told lawmakers. (Virtanen, 10/20)
The News Service Of Florida: Senate President Eyes Early Intervention In Childhood Disabilities
Led by Senate President Andy Gardiner, the 2016 Legislature will consider another increase in funding for Early Steps, which serves infants and toddlers with developmental disabilities and delays --- and which has been struggling to keep up with the demand for services. Experts say that the younger children are diagnosed and treated for disabilities and delays, the greater the chance they'll reach school age ready to learn. (Menzel, 10/20)
