Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicaid Expansion Advocates Have Found A Way Around GOP Legislatures Saying 'No'
The Hill: Meet The Group Funding The Fight To Expand Medicaid In Red States
Voters in Idaho, Nebraska and Utah may have the chance to achieve something their Republican state lawmakers oppose: expand Medicaid to thousands of residents. After years of being told “no” by GOP-controlled state legislatures, health-care advocacy groups have spent much of 2018 leading campaigns to put the question on the ballot in November. (Hellmann, 8/2)
Health News Florida: Florida’s Medicaid Request Could Be Affected By Kentucky Ruling
A federal court decision to block a change to Kentucky’s Medicaid program could affect a similar request from Florida. The state is asking to eliminate retroactive eligibility, which allows recipients to get coverage up to three months after they see a provider. Florida officials requested a waiver from the federal government to change the eligibility requirement in March and are awaiting a decision from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid. (Ochoa, 8/2)
Modern Healthcare: Shorter Behavioral Stays Save Medicaid Money, But Frustrate Hospitals
The shift toward value-based payment in healthcare that countless advocates say will cut costs and improve the quality of care isn't without its downsides. This week's earnings show the evolution is weighing on some providers' bottom lines. As more of Universal Health Services' behavioral health patients move from fee-for-service Medicaid to Medicaid managed-care programs, the for-profit hospital chain has watched its lengths of stay decline, a trend the company's chief financial officer said it's pushing back on. In UHS' second-quarter earnings report last week, it revealed the average length of stay among its behavioral health patients declined 2.3% on average compared with the same quarter in 2017, and patient days declined 1.2%. (Bannow, 8/1)
Richmond Times-Dispatch: S&P Finds Medicaid Expansion Positive For Va. Hospitals Credit Ratings
A national bond rating agency predicts Virginia’s hospitals and health systems will receive a boost to their bottom lines when the state expands its Medicaid program on Jan. 1. S&P Global Ratings said Monday that the impending expansion of health coverage for up to 400,000 uninsured Virginians will be “credit positive” for state hospitals by generally reducing the level of uncompensated and charity care they provide to people with no means to pay. (Martz, 8/1)
Detroit Free Press: Former Execs Accuse Centria Healthcare Of Fraud, Forgery, Violations
Michigan’s largest autism therapy provider is accused of running a Medicaid fraud scheme targeting poor and minority communities, particularly in metro Detroit, according to former senior executives. Former employees of Centria Healthcare, who now find themselves defendants in a defamation lawsuit filed by the company, claim the business has engaged in billing fraud, violating patient privacy, forgery, falsifying reports and employing unqualified people in an effort to boost profits, according to court filings, documents reviewed, and interviews conducted during a three-month Free Press investigation. (Rochester, Wisely and Anderson, 8/1)
