Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Medicaid Managed Care Firm To Cut Reimbursements To Iowa Providers
Des Moines Register: Medicaid Shift: Agencies That Help Disabled Iowans Face Major Cuts
Dozens of agencies that assist thousands of Iowans with disabilities learned this week that they face significant cuts in how much they’re paid by a private company managing the state’s Medicaid program. Industry leaders said they fear some service agencies will go under because of the looming cuts from AmeriHealth Caritas. "It’s not a matter of whether we can be patient — we can’t pay our bills. You can’t pay staff with a wish,” said Linda Dunshee, executive director of Link Associates, which serves central Iowans with intellectual disabilities. (Leys, 2/8)
Nashville Tennessean: Health:Further To Aid TennCare's Aim To Improve Member Communication
TennCare is enlisting Nashville's health tech scene to find companies with technologies to improve communication with members. Health:Further, as part of the TennCare Innovation Program, will be using its in-house resources to find companies — whether a startup or mature firm — that can aid the managed care organizations that administer the state's Medicaid program. The program is the first of its kind, said Marcus Whitney, CEO of Health:Further, a Nashville initiative that links startups, the established health care industry and policymakers to the disparate factors and sectors that impact health. (Fletcher, 2/8)
California Healthline: Industry Giants Anthem, Centene Among The Lowest-Rated Medicaid Plans In California
Anthem Inc. and Centene Corp., top players in the growing Medicaid managed care market nationally, run some of the lowest-quality health plans serving California’s poor population, according to state data. The two insurers combined run five of the six lowest-rated plans in the state’s Medicaid program, known as Medi-Cal. And until they improve the quality of patient care in some areas of the state, officials have placed both companies under stricter oversight. Together, the plans cover about 3 million people, or roughly 20 percent of the Medi-Cal population. (Terhune, 2/9)
