State Medicaid Records Sometimes Incomplete, Report Finds
Based on a study of Illinois, New York and California, the Government Accountability Office concluded that state records regarding Medicaid provider payments are sometimes inaccurate or incomplete. Meanwhile, Ohio settles a pending lawsuit regarding Medicaid recipients who were dropped from the program after state officials "redetermined" eligibility. And, in Wisconsin, an audit highlights problems with a Medicaid transportation contractor.
Reuters:
Government Watchdog Seeks More Data On State Medicaid Payments
States sometimes keep inaccurate and incomplete records of the payments they make to healthcare providers under Medicaid, according to a new report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office, which provides auditing services to federal agencies. The report, issued Monday, was based on a study of three states - Illinois, New York and California - which were chosen for their size and geographic diversity, according to the GAO. (Pierson, 5/12)
The Associated Press:
Ohio Settles Lawsuit Involving Dropped Medicaid Recipients
About 154,000 Ohio residents will have their Medicaid health benefits restored and their eligibility for the program rechecked as part of a settlement reached in a lawsuit against the state, the state's Department of Medicaid said Tuesday. The agreement comes in a case involving how Ohio officials "re-determine" the eligibility of recipients in the federal-state health program for the poor and disabled. (Sanner, 5/12)
Columbus Dispatch:
More Than 150,000 Ohioans To Get Medicaid Again After Settlement
More than 150,000 poor Ohioans will regain tax-funded Medicaid health coverage under a settlement on Tuesday of a lawsuit against the state. Details of the deal were released a week after a court hearing was canceled because an agreement had been reached. The dispute focused on how the Ohio Department of Medicaid conducted an annual process to determine whether beneficiaries remain eligible for the government health coverage. (Candisky, 5/12)
The Associated Press:
Audit Details Problems With Medicaid Transportation
A company in charge of providing transportation to doctors' appointments for low and moderate income people in Wisconsin was late or never showed up thousands of times in less than a one-year period, an audit released Tuesday showed. The nonpartisan Legislative Audit Bureau's audit said Medical Transportation Management, a company the state paid $56.1 million to provide non-emergency medical trips for Medicaid recipients in the 2013-2014 fiscal year, needs to do a better job getting people to appointments on time. (Bauer, 5/12)
