Medicaid Costs, Provider Pay Rates Trigger Debate, Concern
News outlets report on state Medicaid program developments in Oklahoma, New Mexico and Connecticut.
The Oklahoman:
Oklahoma Medicaid Providers Will Not See Rate Cuts This Year
After fervent feedback from the medical community, state Medicaid leaders decided they will not reduce provider rates as part of the cuts they will make to balance the agency's budget. ... Agency leaders say they must make about $40 million in budget cuts to balance their budget. (Cosgrove, 6/24)
The Associated Press:
Report: New Mexico Needs To Curb Medicaid Costs
Legislative analysts are warning that the growing price tag for providing health care to low-income New Mexicans will put more pressure on the state’s finances going forward unless steps are taken to control costs. After a lengthy review of the state’s Medicaid program, analysts with the Legislative Finance Committee found that New Mexico won’t save as much money as first projected because cost-containing measures have proven difficult to implement during the program’s first year. Changes in the way data is now collected also left analysts questioning whether participants in the program – known as Centennial Care – are receiving more or less care than previously. (Bryant, 6/25)
Connecticut Mirror:
As Medicaid Grows, Will There Be More Cuts To Provider Payments?
While radiologists are appealing to legislators to roll back their rate cut, some patient advocates are raising a broader concern, warning that cuts to providers who treat Medicaid patients could become more common as state leaders look to squeeze costs from the growing program. The result, they fear, is that it could become harder for the more than 725,000 state residents with Medicaid to find specialists to treat them, undermining the effectiveness of the expansion of Medicaid coverage that took place as part of the federal health law. (Levin Becker, 6/25)
