Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medi-Cal Programs: Being Required To Send Immediately Out-Of-Date Directory Is 'Ridiculous'
Los Angeles Times: Medi-Cal Programs To The State: Can We Stop Printing And Mailing Directories The Size Of Phone Books?
In Los Angeles County, signing up for Medi-Cal is often followed by a phone book-sized directory landing on your doorstep. The 2017 directory for L.A. Care, a local Medi-Cal health plan, is 2,546 pages of doctors’ names listed by city, by specialty — anesthesiologists, gastroenterologists, ophthalmologists. It includes hours, addresses, phone numbers and languages spoken for each of the thousands of physicians. (Karlamangla, 9/4)
The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier: Medicaid Fraud In South Carolina Largely Tied To Health Care Providers
New numbers provided by the S.C. Attorney General’s Office show state investigators have identified millions in Medicaid fraud in the Palmetto State in recent years. And overwhelmingly, health care providers are the ones at fault. Between 2012 and 2016 in South Carolina, Attorney General Alan Wilson's office recovered more than $90 million in fraud tied to providers and, during the same five years, recovered about $2.8 million in fraud tied to Medicaid recipients. (Sausser, 9/4)
Casper (Wyo.) Star-Tribune: Wyoming Grapples With Medicaid Shortfall That Will Likely Grow In Coming Years
Wyoming faces a shortfall of Medicaid funding that might be as high as $30 million now and is likely to grow in the coming years. Officials say there are no good options to address the situation without harming other programs or potentially hurting already cash-strapped hospitals and nursing homes. Compounding the problem, Wyoming is still dealing with sluggish state revenues brought on by a downturn in the energy economy. (Klamann, 9/2)
