Red States Increasingly Seek Work Requirements As Part Of Medicaid Expansion Efforts
The efforts, however, are not winning support in the Obama administration. Meanwhile, Montana's governor signs the state's expansion bill and Florida legislature is still at an impasse over the issue.
Politico:
GOP Warms To Obamacare — If Americans Work For It
In nearly a dozen Republican-dominated states, either the governor or conservative legislators are seeking to add work requirements to Obamacare Medicaid expansion, much like an earlier generation pushed for welfare to work. The move presents a politically acceptable way for conservative states to accept the billions of federal dollars available under Obamacare, bringing health care coverage to millions of low-income people. But to the Obama administration, a work requirement is a non-starter, an unacceptable ideological shift in the 50-year-old Medicaid program and a break with the Affordable Care Act’s mission of expanding health care coverage to all Americans. The Health and Human Services Department has rejected all requests by states to tie Medicaid to work. (Wheaton, 4/30)
The Associated Press:
Bullock Signs Medicaid Expansion Into Law
After several years and a long bumpy road to passage, the governor signed a bill into law Wednesday to expand Medicaid eligibility to about 70,000 low-income Montanans. ... The compromise proposal was introduced by Republican Sen. Ed Buttrey of Great Falls in March after lawmakers defeated Bullock's plan. The new law would accept federal funds to expand Medicaid eligibility to people with incomes at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level — or about $16,200 per year for an individual and $33,460 for a family of four. It also would require people who enroll in the program to pay health care premiums and co-payments for certain services. Additionally, all those who choose to enroll would be asked by the state Department of Labor to participate in a workplace assessment survey for the creation of a job placement plan that could include training. (Baumann, 4/29)
Helena (Mont.) Independent Record:
Medicaid Expansion Is Now Law In Montana – But Still Many Steps Before It Becomes Reality
Now that Medicaid expansion is law in Montana, the real work of making it happen begins -- and state health officials said Wednesday it certainly won’t happen overnight. The state first must prepare and submit a “waiver” for approval by the federal government, before Montana’s plan to expand Medicaid to thousands of low-income Montanans can begin and be funded. And, if that approval occurs, the state then must hire a private health-insurance company to manage the expansion, choosing from whoever decides to bid on the multimillion-dollar contract. (Dennison, 4/29)
Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune:
'Great Falls Kept Fighting' For Medicaid Expansion
Buttrey said he spent the two years since the last session, which saw Medicaid expansion defeated, educating his caucus and trying to craft a plan that would pass. "We came armed with facts and armed with a plan," he said. "Folks already have a health care entitlement. They're just getting it in the most expensive way," he said of emergency room care. He said the states already are paying for expansion, with Montana tax dollars now going to subsidize expansion in other states. (Inbody, 4/29)
Kaiser Health News/Montana Public Radio:
Montana Governor Signs Medicaid Expansion Into Law
Backers of Medicaid expansion celebrated in Helena Wednesday as Gov. Steve Bullock signed the bill extending the health coverage to an estimated 45,000 more Montanans. Earl Old Person, Chief of the Blackfeet tribe, sang a victory song on the capitol steps honoring the Governor and lawmakers who passed the Medicaid expansion bill. (Whitney, 4/30)
Tampa Bay Times/Miami Herald:
Senate Accuses House Of Violating Constitution, Demands Return To Session Friday
The Florida Legislature’s chaotic session hit a new dysfunctional low Wednesday as an irate Senate demanded that House leaders bring lawmakers back to work or risk violating the state Constitution. House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, who had sent members home Tuesday, showed no signs of backing down. With increased vitriol on both sides, it appeared less likely than ever the House and Senate could come together for critical budget talks. ... the two sides remain locked in an increasingly bitter stalemate, unable to begin budget talks because of a philosophical divide over the use of federal money to expand health care to low-income residents. (Bousquet, 4/29)
The Associated Press:
Obama Administration Hasn't Changed Course On LIP, Medicaid
The Obama administration said Wednesday it had not changed its position on Medicaid expansion and hospital funds, despite contrary interpretations from lawmakers. The confusion comes a day after Gov. Rick Scott filed a federal lawsuit accusing the Obama administration of coercing Florida into expanding Medicaid by withholding more than $1 billion in hospital funds. (Kennedy, 4/29)
Miami Herald:
Florida House Says It Is Ready To Build A Budget
One day after abruptly ending the legislative session, the House announced it is ready to begin the budget process. The announcement from House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Orlando, came in response to a late statement issued by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS. "Last night, after Gov. [Rick] Scott and Attorney General [Pam] Bondi filed a lawsuit on behalf of Florida, CMS issued a statement reversing their earlier position that [Low Income Pool] funding and Medicaid Expansion are linked," Criasfulli wrote in a Wednesday morning memo to members. "We applaud CMS for their statement, and agree that the policy preference of the Obama administration should not be used as leverage for the Low Income Pool. The House stands ready to secure allocations and get into budget conference in order to finish our constitutional duty to pass a balanced budget." (McGrory, 4/29)
Miami Herald:
Could Medicaid Expansion Debacle Be An Opening For House Democrats?
It's good to be a Florida House Democrat these days. Just six months ago, they were in the doldrums. They had lost six seats in the November elections and were facing an 81-39 disadvantage in the lower chamber. But on Wednesday, the Democrats were in a more celebratory mood. The day before, House Speaker Steve Crisafulli, R-Merritt Island, told members to go home. The budget impasse was too broad to bridge because of the House's disagreement with the Senate on Medicaid expansion. The House Democrats have been pushing for Medicaid expansion for three years now. The stalemate between the House Republicans and the Senate on the budget guaranteed exactly what House Democrats couldn't do: force a meaningful debate. (Van Sickler, 4/29)
Also in the news, Utah officials complete their talks with federal authorities and say they still have some work to do on their expansion proposal. In Louisiana, lawmakers turn down expansion efforts again -
The Associated Press:
Utah Group Leaves Washington, But No Medicaid Deal Yet
Gov. Gary Herbert and Republican legislative leaders said they were optimistic Wednesday after leaving a meeting in Washington with federal officials, but they're still without a deal or new flexibility to expand Medicaid in Utah. The group said they still hope to reach a deal this summer. Following their meeting with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Herbert and GOP lawmakers held a teleconference with reporters. They said they have agreed to examine ways that Utah can more accurately project how much it will cost to expand Medicaid. (Price, 4/30)
Salt Lake Tribune:
Guv, Legislative Leaders Meet With Obama Administrators On Utah Health Care
Utah legislative leaders and the governor were optimistic they will be able to reach a compromise on Medicaid expansion after their first joint meeting Wednesday with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. "I thought there was a great response from the secretary and her staff," said Senate President Wayne Niederhauser. ... But neither the legislative leader nor Gov. Gary Herbert said they heard what they wanted to hear: that the Obama administration will let Utah cap the number of people the state covers if it expands Medicaid to everyone earning poverty-level income and less. (Moulton, 4/29)
Deseret News:
Herbert, Legislative Leaders Starting Over On Medicaid Expansion
After meeting in Washington, D.C., with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell Wednesday, Gov. Gary Herbert said he and legislative leaders are starting over on Medicaid expansion. "We're not back at square one. But whether it's Healthy Utah or Utah Cares or some hybrid of both, or some new invention that we will come up with, I don't know. I don't want to predict the future here," Herbert told reporters in a conference call. But the governor said he still expects to come up with a plan in time to hold a special session of the Utah Legislature this summer on using the federal funds available through President Barack Obama's health care law to cover low-income Utahns. (Roche, 4/29)
New Orleans Times-Picayune:
Medicaid Expansion Efforts Squashed By Louisiana Senate, House Panels
A Senate health panel killed legislation Wednesday (April 29) that would effectively expand Medicaid coverage for approximately 290,000 needy people in Louisiana without health insurance. After about an hour-and-a-half of testimony that ended with the sponsor of the legislation, Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, in tears, the committee voted 5-3 against advancing the bill to the full Senate. Nevers' bill, Senate Bill 40, wouldn't necessarily mandate the state accept Medicaid expansion but instead required the state to provide health insurance to the same group of people expansion would cover -- those whose household income is at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level. (Lane, 4/29)
The Advocate:
Louisiana Medicaid Expansion Effort Dies Again In House, Senate Panels
Legislative panels Wednesday killed yet another effort to allow Medicaid expansion in Louisiana. It marks the third straight year Medicaid expansion efforts by Democratic legislators have died at the hands of their Republican colleagues. The Senate’s Health and Welfare Committee voted 5-3 against the legislation, which would have provided health insurance to upward of 240,000 Louisiana residents. (Shuler, 4/30)