Missouri Lawmakers Fail To Extend Tax That Funds Medicaid
The legislators did not approve a long-standing Medicaid provider tax that provides funds to care for elderly, disabled and low-income residents. Nursing home owners say if the state doesn't fix the problem, their businesses will suffer and residents will be caught in the middle. Other advocates are also challenging the decision by the Missouri governor to not implement a Medicaid expansion approved by voters. Efforts to expand Medicaid in Florida and Wyoming are also making news.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch and The Kansas City Star:
‘It’s Just Shocking’: How Missouri Republican Politics Drove Twin Crises In Medicaid
Mike Levitt’s nursing homes have experienced a difficult 14 months. Still recovering after being ravaged by the coronavirus pandemic, Levitt’s Tutera Senior Living & Health Care, which operates five facilities in the Kansas City region, suddenly finds itself at the edge of financial oblivion. Missouri lawmakers are at fault. The General Assembly adjourned earlier this month without renewing a tax that funds vast swaths of Medicaid in Missouri. Nursing homes are heavily reliant on Medicaid patients, who have spent down their savings and now depend on the program to pay for their care. (Shorman and Kuang, 5/23)
Missouri Independent:
Missourians, Health Care Providers Pause Plans As Medicaid Expansion Heads To Court
A lawsuit filed Thursday on behalf of three Missourians who would have qualified under expansion argued that there is no legal reason to treat people who become eligible July 1 differently from those who are currently eligible. In anticipation of that lawsuit, The Independent reached out to eligible individuals and health care providers to learn about their expectations for coverage and plans to provide care. (Weinberg and Keller, 5/22)
Health News Florida:
Report Points To Benefits Of Florida Medicaid Expansion
Florida could add 134,700 jobs, lower the number of uninsured residents by 852,000 and pump billions of additional federal dollars into the economy if it would expand Medicaid to low-income adults without children, according to a report released Thursday. The Commonwealth Fund, a New York-based organization that focuses on health care issues, released the report, which said expanding Medicaid in Florida would add 61,600 health-care jobs from 2022 to 2025. It also said an expansion would lead to job increases in the construction, retail, finance and insurance sectors. (Sexton, 5/21)
Wyoming Tribune Eagle:
New Reports Highlight Benefits Of Medicaid Expansion For Wyoming Workforce
With Medicaid expansion back in the state’s spotlight this year, a pair of new studies released last week highlighted the potential benefits that could come to Wyoming workers, as well as the state’s employment numbers, if lawmakers decide to opt into the federal program. One of them, conducted by the Commonwealth Fund and George Washington University’s Milken Institute School of Public Health, projected that Medicaid expansion would create 1,900 jobs in Wyoming, with about two-thirds of those coming in the health care industry. The study’s lead author, Leighton Ku, said the new employment opportunities would come as a result of more than $100 million in additional federal funds coming to the state. (Coulter, 5/23)
Penn Live:
Pa. Sen. Bob Casey Jr. Is Pitching A Big, Expensive Plan To Help Kids. And He’s Ready For A Fight.
In the eyes of U.S. Sen. Bob Casey Jr., America’s leaders have consistently fallen short when it comes to protecting the nation’s children. Too many kids are hungry, in poverty and lack access to a good education. Casey, D-Pa., is pitching a massive plan aimed at giving all kids a fair shot to succeed. His proposals include automatic Medicaid eligibility for all children, investing billions into an expansion of Head Start, permanent tax credits for families and money to fight child abuse. (Southwick, 5/24)
