Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
PolitiFact Finds Fault With Gov. Scott's Argument About Florida Hospital Funding
PolitiFact Florida/Tampa Bay Times: Medicaid Expansion Would Help Many Of The Same People That LIP Helps
Speaking to reporters, [Gov. Rick] Scott said he doesn't share the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' position that growing Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act is a better solution than renewing the current LIP fund. The LIP program, which mostly helps cover hospital costs for uninsured and underinsured patient visits, is set to expire June 30. "The families that are covered through the Low Income Pool is a different group of individuals than are covered by Obamacare," Scott said. We decided to check if Scott was right about those being two different sets of potential patients. ... The ruling: The Low Income Pool compensates hospitals for treating the uninsured. Medicaid expansion would directly affect many uninsured. Health care experts told us there is plenty of overlap between the two groups. We rate the statement Mostly False. (Gillin, 5/17)
Winston-Salem Journal: Hospital Association Unveils Medicaid Reform Proposal
The N.C. Hospital Association is wading into the debate about state Medicaid reform, predictably encouraging a provider-led format to address the risk involved in the $14 billion program. At the request of legislative leaders, the advocacy group Thursday offered recommendations and submitted a draft bill. The proposed legislation likely would require being inserted into an existing bill, potentially the state budget, to move forward this session. ... The association’s proposal would attempt to “modernize and stabilize” the program through a “whole person” strategy of coordinating physical, behavioral, dental, pharmacy and long-term health services. (Craver, 5/17)
Also, Politico examines the political backlash as Medicaid expansion enrollment grows.
Politico: Skyrocketing Medicaid Signups Stir State Expansion Fights
Medicaid enrollment under Obamacare is skyrocketing past expectations, giving some GOP governors who oppose the program’s expansion under the health law an “I told you so” moment. More than 12 million people have signed up for Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act since January 2014, and in some states that embraced that piece of the law, enrollment is hundreds of thousands beyond initial projections. Seven states have seen particularly big surges, with their overruns totaling nearly 1.4 million low-income adults. (Pradhan, 5/18)
