Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Republican Lawmakers Begin Hearings On Revamping Medicaid But Bypass The Big Issues
Morning Consult: Republicans Consider Broader Medicaid Changes As They Weigh Its Future
Republicans are eyeing how they can reform Medicaid, and health insurers that offer Medicaid plans want them to look beyond questions of funding and expansion. A hearing before the Energy and Commerce Oversight Subcommittee Tuesday offered some insight into how lawmakers on a key health care panel want to change the federal program for low-income Americans, such as making it more efficient. But the hearing offered no details on the biggest question facing Republicans: whether to repeal an Affordable Care Act provision that expands Medicaid, which 31 states and D.C. have signed up for. There was also no clarity on President Donald Trump’s suggestion to use block grants to expand the program’s coverage. (McIntire, 1/31)
Modern Healthcare: Dems Say GOP Is Using 'Alternative Facts' To Justify Ending Medicaid Expansion
Democratic lawmakers say a key GOP talking point that Medicaid expansion is leaving disabled and mentally ill individuals without care is an example of “alternative facts” and has no bearing on reality. During a House Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations hearing Tuesday, a witness chosen by GOP lawmakers appeared to link the decision of 31 states to expand Medicaid to a phenomenon in which disabled adults and children are left waiting to access home and community-based services. (Dickson, 1/31)
The Washington Post Fact Checker: Paul Ryan’s Claim That ‘More And More Doctors Just Won’t Take Medicaid’
During a town hall on Republican plans to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, Ryan described the need for changes to the Medicaid program at the state level. Some states made changes so that low-income enrollees could get coverage and access to care, but not all states did, he said. Ryan claimed that “more and more doctors just won’t take Medicaid because they lose money on Medicaid.” ... Ryan highlights a real problem of lower fees for doctors who take Medicaid patients, and the potential impact on patients’ access to care. But there’s not enough data so far to support his claim, especially in the insurance landscape after some states extended pay increases for doctors who take Medicaid patients. (Lee, 2/1)
And in Medicaid news from states —
Texas Tribune: Senate Finance Committee Hears Parents' Plea To Halt Therapy Cuts
Tearful and frightened Texas parents pleaded with Senate Finance Committee members on Tuesday to stop any further cuts for state-funded speech, physical and occupational therapy for children. With their children at their side, one parent after another told lawmakers about the joys of seeing their kids progress through therapy sessions that have become harder to access in recent years because of state budget cuts. But success stories of children with special needs being able to eat, talk and move on their own turned to worry that those milestones would disappear. (Evans, 1/31)
San Antonio (Texas) Express-News: Austin Battle Brewing Over Proposed Restoration Of Medicaid Reimbursements
Texas House Speaker Joe Straus is finalizing a plan to reverse controversial cuts in the rates paid to therapists for Medicaid recipients, but state Senate leaders say they will fight the proposal, which could turn the issue into a major sticking point in this year’s legislative session. It would restore up to $350 million in reimbursements to therapists for physical, occupational and speech therapy provided to poor children with disabilities. Straus spokesman Jason Embry said the plan will be included in the House’s soon-to-be-introduced supplemental budget and carry forward into the chamber’s state budget proposal for the next two years. (Rosenthal, 1/31)
The CT Mirror: State Delays Controversial Electronic System Mandate For Home Health Care
The state Department of Social Services has agreed to postpone the rollout of a new electronic system for home health agencies after an outcry among providers and threats to drop clients on Medicaid. Home health agencies were going to be required to begin using the system Feb. 1 to track their workers’ hours and the tasks they perform at each client’s home. Home care agencies that perform non-medical tasks, such as homemaking, have been required to use the system since Jan. 1, and have had many complaints about it. (Levin Becker, 1/31)
