Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Mass. Officials Ask For Federal Permission To Trim Medicaid Rolls And Expenses
Modern Healthcare: Massachusetts Seeks To Move Adults Off Medicaid, Limit Drug Coverage
Facing steadily rising costs, Massachusetts has asked for federal permission to cull its Medicaid rolls, curb access to in-home and long-term care supports and limit the number of drugs it must cover. Massachusetts has seen its Medicaid and CHIP population jump more than 30% since it expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. All in all, Medicaid covers 1.9 million Massachusetts residents, or one-third of the state's population. But as the federal government no longer covers the total cost of expansion, Massachusetts said it needs to slim down the program because the costs are unsustainable. (Dickson, 9/27)
Montana Public Radio: Montana's Medicaid Expansion Saved Corrections $7.6 Million Last Year
Medicaid expansion saved the Montana Department of Corrections $7.6 million in the fiscal year that ended in July. ... since Medicaid expansion kicked in last year, the department has been able to bill Medicaid for care for 139 inmates it would not have been able to prior to the state legislature approving expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act. (Cates-Carney, 9/27)
KCUR: Kansas Launches Final Phase Of Troubled Enrollment System
The overhaul of the Kansas computer system for processing welfare and Medicaid applications recently went through its final implementation phase. State officials say the process went smoothly, especially compared to the system’s initial rollout that delayed thousands of Medicaid applications. The Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System, or KEES, combines the processing for Medicaid and welfare benefits. The more than $200 million system got off to a rocky start with delays before its eventual 2015 launch and backlogs for Medicaid applicants. (Koranda, 9/26)
