Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Protections At Stake In Medicaid Case To Be Decided By Supreme Court
Stateline: Supreme Court Case Could Curtail Rights Of Medicaid Patients
Gorgi Talevski did not live long enough to see his case argued before the U.S. Supreme Court this month. A Macedonian-born resident of Indiana, Talevski operated a crane for three decades, raised a family and loved to dance before his dementia deepened, and he died last year. (Ollove, 11/28)
In other Medicaid news —
Albuquerque Journal: End Of The Line: Why Some New Mexicans May No Longer Qualify For Medicaid Next Year
Samuel Perez received a letter a couple of months back with some unwelcome news. The letter, sent from the New Mexico Human Services Department in late August, read in part: “Once the (COVID-19) crisis ends, you may not get Medicaid. Your case may be closed.” For the 65-year-old Albuquerque man, who no longer works due to a litany of health issues, and who has a limited income, the news was shocking. (Narvaiz, 11/27)
The Detroit News: Michigan Medicaid To Reimburse For Doula Services Starting In 2023
Starting next year, Michigan Medicaid will begin reimbursing for doula services and create a division to support doula workers, which leaders hope will positively affect social determinants of health, and decrease health and racial disparities in the state. (Rahal, 11/27)
Florida Politics: The Mother Of All Contracts: A Seismic Shift In Medicaid Program Could Be Ahead
Florida’s mammoth health care agency is moving forward with one of the state’s biggest — and most expensive — contracts. And it’s going to be quite an undertaking. The Agency for Health Care Administration will ultimately be tasked with awarding new six-year contracts to a handful of managed care companies, making them responsible for the health care of more than 4.24 million residents. (Sexton, 11/28)
WABE: Georgia Could Be Only State To Have Medicaid Expansion Come With Work Requirement
A recent federal court ruling has cleared the path for Georgia to move forward with its limited expansion of Medicaid. The idea, originally proposed by Republican Governor Brian Kemp when he took office in 2019, would require new participants to work or volunteer 80 hours each month. Following the federal court’s decision and Kemp’s winning reelection, it appears the plan will move forward unless the federal government chooses to intervene. (Burress, 11/28)
In Medicare news —
Stat: 'Skinny Labels' On Biosimilars Saved Medicare $1.5 Billion In 5 Years
A hotly contested provision of a federal law designed to speed copycat drugs to market and foster competition saved Medicare $1.5 billion from 2015 to 2020 — or nearly 5% of the $30.2 billion spent by the health care program — on just five medicines during that period, according to a new analysis. (Silverman, 11/28)
Axios: Standalone Drug Plans Broached For Frail Seniors In Community-Based Care
Patient advocates are pressing Congress to use the lame duck session to give standalone Medicare drug coverage to some senior citizens who qualify for nursing-level care. Why it matters: The "fix" would make up for how the Inflation Reduction Act's drug price controls stopped short of applying to the PACE Program, a comprehensive care alternative to nursing homes. (Dreher, 11/29)
The Motley Fool: Why You Could Pay $4,747 Extra For Medicare In 2023
For most people, the Medicare Part B monthly premium for 2023 will cost $164.90, which is actually down $5.20 per month from what it was in 2022. However, there are a significant number of Medicare participants who'll have to pay more than that -- and could end up spending as much as $4,747 extra for their coverage over the course of the year. (Caplinger, 11/29)
CNBC: Medicare Open Enrollment Ends Dec. 7. Be Sure To Review Your 2023 Plan
Despite how prevalent changes are to plans each year, most beneficiaries do not compare their current coverage with other available plans. Just 29% did in 2020, according to a recent study from the Kaiser Family Foundation. “Even without a change made by their plan or a change in health status, beneficiaries may be able to find a plan that better meets their individual needs or lowers their out-of-pocket costs,” the study said. (O'Brien, 11/28)
Fierce Healthcare: Google Rolls Out Search Features For Medicaid, Medicare Patients
When many people are looking to enroll in health benefits, they turn to Google as a source of key information on eligibility, the application process and in-network providers. In this spirit, the Google Search team has quietly rolled out multiple features for its search engine that aim to make it easier for users to access key information about obtaining Medicaid and Medicare benefits, as well as which doctors locally accept those types of coverage. (Minemyer, 11/23)
