Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicaid Expansion Is Expensive, And Soon States Are Going To Have To Pick Up More Of The Tab
The Associated Press: As Federal Medicaid Funding Declines, States Mull Costs
Maine’s Republican governor has said federal regulators want to know how Maine would pay for Medicaid expansion. But it’s unclear just how that issue will play out in Maine, the first state to pass Medicaid expansion under Republican President Trump’s administration. States must file routine paperwork to get federal Medicaid expansion funding under former Democratic President Obama’s signature health care law. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services told The Associated Press on Tuesday that it works to ensure states pay for their share of an expansion with “proper” financing. (Villeneuve, 9/26)
Modern Healthcare: Tennessee Joins Push For Medicaid Work Requirements
Tennessee officially posted its Medicaid waiver that would require enrollees to either seek or maintain work.It's the fourth state to propose a Medicaid work requirement this month for comment. Alabama, Michigan and Virginia also posted work requirement proposals on their Medicaid websites this month. Tennessee's requirement will target TennCare-enrolled parents and caretakers that are not pregnant, disabled or elderly adults. (Dickson, 9/26)
Des Moines Register: Iowa Poll: Support For Medicaid Privatization Drops To 28 Percent
Iowa’s shift to private management of its Medicaid program has become increasingly unpopular over the past year, a new Iowa Poll shows. Just 28 percent of Iowa adults think the state should continue having private companies run the giant health care program for poor or disabled Iowans, according to the poll, which is sponsored by the Des Moines Register and Mediacom. That represents a 9 percentage point drop in support since a July 2017 Iowa Poll found 37 percent of Iowans thought the state should continuing having private management companies run Medicaid. The proportion of Iowans who say the program should be state-run is basically unchanged. (Leys, 9/26)
