Medicaid Roundup: Shift In Expansion Views From N.C. Republicans?; Tenn. Governor Downplays Criticism Of Block Grants Plan
The Medicaid programs in North Carolina, Tennessee, Alaska and Kansas are in the news.
North Carolina Health News:
Conservatives Warm To Medicaid Expansion
The unanimous resolution, signed by four Republicans and one Democrat, throws local support behind House Bill 655, which recently passed through the General Assembly’s House Health Committee and awaits a vote on the House floor. The bill would use the Affordable Care Act to extend the Medicaid program to provide health insurance coverage to many low-income workers who currently don’t qualify for the program. (Hoban, 10/3)
The Associated Press:
Tennessee Governor Says Block Grant Opponents ‘Misinformed’
Gov. Bill Lee on Thursday downplayed recent pushback on his administration’s effort to change Tennessee’s Medicaid program into a block grant system, countering that the opposition is likely due to misinformation. “I do think that a lot of the folks who are concerned about this have been either misinformed or have not taken the time to really understand it. And there’s legitimate concern about that. We want people to understand this,” Lee, a Republican, told reporters. (Kruesi, 10/3)
Modern Healthcare:
Alaska Hospitals Will Recover Some Medicaid Cuts Under Settlement
Alaska's hospitals and other providers will get back Medicaid dollars they lost due to the state's emergency Medicaid cuts earlier this year, under a settlement announced Wednesday. The settlement will allow Medicaid providers to recover the difference between current reimbursement and what they would have been paid if Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy's administration hadn't rushed through the emergency cuts in late June. (Meyer, 10/3)
KCUR:
Aetna Errors Kicked 42 People Off Medicaid In Kansas, Leaving The State To Clean Up
Dozens of primarily elderly or disabled Kansans lost their Medicaid coverage because of errors made by Aetna. Staff at the state health department discovered the problem, restored their insurance and stopped further cancellations. Months later, state workers are still double-checking the work of Aetna Better Health — one of the three companies that helps run the state’s privatized Medicaid system — while Aetna puts together a permanent fix. (Llopis-Jepsen, 10/4)
