Federal Officials Begin Sending States Applications From Residents Eligible For Medicaid
The administration is delivering the data to states so that they can enroll new applicants. Meanwhile, in Virginia, the legislative panel holds its last meeting of the year without a recommendation about Medicaid expansion, and Colorado reports its latest enrollment figures.
The Associated Press: States To Get Medicaid Cases From Federal Website
Federal officials have begun sending Medicaid applications to states so they can enroll people, beginning with a handful of places where technical problems that have marred the new insurance marketplace are expected to be less of an issue. Until now, the applications were not forwarded as promised to the states, which put the enrollment process in limbo for those who are eligible to get health care coverage through Medicaid (Sanner, 12/17).
The Associated Press/Washington Post: Va. Medicaid Expansion Holds Final Meeting Of Year
A Virginia legislative commission still appears a long way from deciding whether to recommend Medicaid expansion. The Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission held its last meeting of 2013 Tuesday. The chairman, Sen. Emmett Hanger, described it as an informational meeting with presentations from experts on issues like Medicaid fraud and federal health care law revenue provisions (12/17).
The Roanoke Times: State Medicaid Expansion Stalls
The [Virginia] General Assembly will begin its 2014 session without a plan to expand eligibility for Medicaid and obtain federal funds that would cover the full cost of expanded coverage for the first three years. A legislative commission set up to serve as a gatekeeper on the issue held its final meeting of the year Tuesday without making any recommendations for legislative action. The panel has been monitoring state-level reforms to Medicaid services and has heard lengthy presentations about the economic and health care impacts of expanding eligibility for coverage. But, like the legislature itself, the commission is divided over how the state should proceed (Sluss, 12/17).
Health Policy Solutions (a Colo. news service): Colorado Adds 50,000 To Medicaid Rolls In Two Weeks
Medicaid expansion is galloping forward in Colorado with the state adding nearly 50,000 additional people in the first two weeks of December to the state's Medicaid rolls. Altogether in Colorado, more than 114,000 people have qualified to start receiving care by Jan. 1 through Medicaid, the public health insurance program for low-income people and the disabled. Sign-ups for private health insurance through Colorado's exchange continue to increase with a deadline fast approaching on Dec. 23 to get coverage that starts on New Year's Day. As of mid-December, 23,009 people have signed up for private health plans through Connect for Health Colorado (Kerwin McCrimmon, 12/17).