State Highlights: Mich. Delays Dual-Eligible Program; Negotiations Stuck Between Big Ga. Hospital, Insurer

The Associated Press: Michigan Delays Dual Eligible Program
Michigan is delaying the implementation of its health care coordination program for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid. The Michigan Department of Community Health said Monday the start date for MI Health Link will move from Jan. 1, 2015 to March 1, 2015 to make sure it’s prepared to deliver services. (11/25)

Georgia Health News: Grady, Blue Cross At Impasse As Contract Expires
Contract standoffs between hospital systems and health insurers typically have a way of being resolved — often right before a deadline. But high-stakes negotiations between Grady Health System and Georgia’s biggest insurer failed to produce a new contract before the midnight deadline Sunday. That means Grady Memorial Hospital is now “out of network” for Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia members. (Miller, 11/24)

NPR: Africa Inspires A Health Care Experiment In New York
There's a project in the neighborhood of Harlem in New York that has a through-the-looking-glass quality. An organization called City Health Works is trying to bring an African model of health care delivery to the United States. Usually it works the other way around. If City Health Works' approach is successful, it could help change the way chronic diseases are managed in poverty-stricken communities, where people suffer disproportionately from HIV/AIDS, obesity and diabetes. (Palca, 11/24)

The Baltimore Sun: Highly-Demanded Free Medical Equipment Loan Closet Closing
Bette Botzler Decker started with the "Z" file cards while her fellow volunteers started at "A" when it came time to call all those who have borrowed medical equipment from the Baltimore Ninth District Health Committee Loan Closet, located at the former Loch Raven Elementary School. ... The Loan Closet, which has operated since 1952, is the last remnant of a once-vibrant health center system. The county ran 15 health centers — with immunizations, baby clinics, X-ray clinics and the loan closets — from Arbutus to northern Baltimore County. If there were new volunteers to step in, Decker said, the Loan Closet wouldn't have to close. Equipment remains very much in demand. (Tilghman, 11/24)

Kansas Health Institute News Service: State Releases Plan To Keep Medicare Reimbursements At Osawatomie Hospital
State officials have a three-pronged plan to ensure Osawatomie State Hospital maintains its Medicare reimbursements after a federal agency announced last week they are in jeopardy. Meanwhile, mental health advocates say the situation at that hospital underscores the need for legislators who hold the state's purse strings to allow the executive branch to follow through on reforms that are still in their early stages. ... That plan includes a nursing assessment upon admission to determine if new patients are at risk for edema, rashes, pressure ulcers or other conditions. (Marso, 11/24)

Kansas Health Institute News Service: New Effort To Tighten Regulation Of Mental Health Drugs Concerns Advocates
A legislative committee’s recommendation could reignite a debate over whether the state should have the power to regulate Medicaid reimbursements for mental health medications, as it does for other types of drugs. Kansas law currently bars state officials from using regulatory tools — such as prior authorization and preferred drug lists — to manage the use and cost of mental health medication prescribed to Medicaid recipients. The Legislature’s KanCare Oversight Committee recommended repealing that law last week. (Marso, 11/24)

The Associated Press: Louisiana Elderly Office Needs Leadership, Audit Finds
Gov. Bobby Jindal's decision not to replace the fired head of his Office of Elderly Affairs for nearly three years has lessened the effectiveness of the agency's mission to help the elderly, according to an audit released Monday. Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera's office said the agency's formula for sending state and federal money to local councils on aging doesn't determine where needs are greatest. The audit said the office doesn't consistently track the services it funds, and the shortfall could become more acute as the elderly population grows and the need for services intensifies. (DeSlatte, 11/24)

California Healthline: Kaiser-Target Partnership Another Step in 'Retailization' of Health Care
Marking a significant step in what might be called the "retailization" of health care delivery, Kaiser Permanente is partnering with Target to open medical clinics in the retail stores in Southern California. (Lauer, 11/24)