Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Oklahoma Becomes 37th State To Expand Medicaid
Oklahoman: 'A Very Joyful Moment': Medicaid Expansion Takes Effect In Oklahoma
After more than a decade of fierce debate about whether Oklahoma should expand Medicaid, the Sooner State on Thursday became the 37th state to implement Medicaid expansion and offer health benefits to more low-income residents. Medicaid expansion has been one of the most heated political topics in Oklahoma since the Affordable Care Act became law in 2010. Supporters of State Question 802, which Oklahoma voters passed last year to expand Medicaid, celebrated the change that is expected to result in roughly 200,000 more Oklahomans qualifying for Medicaid benefits. (Forman, 7/1)
Public Radio Tulsa: Advocates Celebrate Start Of Benefits Under Oklahoma Medicaid Expansion
Voters narrowly approved a state constitutional amendment last June to make more working adults eligible for the program. It was put on the ballot through the initiative petition process after lawmakers declined to expand Medicaid for years. Oklahoma Policy Institute has long made the case for Medicaid expansion. Policy Director Carly Putnam and Legislative and Outreach Director Angela Monson said tying health insurance to a job is problematic. (Trotter, 6/30)
NPR: 12 Holdout States Haven't Expanded Medicaid, Leaving 2 Million People In Limbo
There are more than 2 million people across the United States who have no option when it comes to health insurance. They're in what's known as the "coverage gap" — they don't qualify for Medicaid in their state, and make too little money to be eligible for subsidized health plans on the Affordable Care Act insurance exchanges. Briana Wright is one of those people. She's 27, lives near Jackson, Miss., works at McDonalds, and doesn't have health insurance. So to figure out her options when she recently learned she needed to have surgery to remove her gallbladder, she called Health Help Mississippi, a nonprofit that helps people enroll in health insurances. (Simmons-Duffin, 7/1)
In other Medicaid news from Missouri —
ABC17: Missourians To Rally Thursday, When Voter-Approved Medicaid Expansion Was Supposed To Take Effect
On Thursday, the day Medicaid expansion would have taken effect, Missourians plan to rally outside the Governors Mansion at 11 a.m. Missourians in support of expansion plan to share their personal health care stories during the rally. (Crowder, 7/1)
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Missouri House Sends Medicaid Tax Renewal To Parson On Bipartisan Vote
The Missouri House on Wednesday sent renewal of a major tax that funds the state’s Medicaid program to Gov. Mike Parson, warding off the likelihood of deep budget cuts by the governor. Passage of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance came only after long debate on a separate bill banning funds from going to abortion providers and affiliates. The House sent that measure to the Senate, but GOP leaders in the Legislature’s upper chamber said they would not take it up. (Suntrup and Erickson, 6/30)
Kansas City Star: Missouri Renews Medicaid Tax, Averts Budget Cuts
Missouri lawmakers on Wednesday sent the renewal of a tax critical to funding Medicaid to Gov. Mike Parson, just ahead of a deadline he imposed for enacting drastic budget cuts across the state. The House passed the bill 140-13 with no debate or changes to the version Senators approved Saturday after a bitter impasse. It also passed a bill cutting Planned Parenthood out of Medicaid, which died hours later when the Senate adjourned without acting on it. (Kuang, 6/30)
And from other state Medicaid programs —
The Providence Journal: New England Medicaid Dental Benefits Vary From State To State
For adults on Medicaid in New Hampshire, dental coverage still remains elusive. Last week, Republican Gov. Chris Sununu signed the biennial state budget, and in doing so, scrapped funding for the state's Medicaid adult dental benefit. New Hampshire only provides emergency dental coverage to adults on Medicaid – not for preventative care or other major procedures, which are covered for children 18 and under. (Barndollar, 6/30)
The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine Signs State Budget With 14 Vetoes
Still, the governor didn't love everything about the 3,300-page budget. He vetoed 14 items from the final draft, including a controversial provision to let state lawmakers hire outside counsel during the redistricting process. The Ohio House and Senate can override any or all of the governor's vetoes. No word yet on whether that's something they plan to do. So, for now, here are some of the more notable items that DeWine cut from the budget. (Staver, 7/1)
