Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
The Next Medicaid Battleground: How Tennessee Is Forging Ahead With Controversial Block Grant Plan
The Hill: Tennessee Becomes New Front In Fight To Overhaul Medicaid
Tennessee is the latest battleground for the Trump administration as it tries to implement drastic, conservative changes to Medicaid. While some red states have begun pushing back from imposing work requirements on Medicaid beneficiaries in the face of lawsuits, Tennessee is forging ahead with an even more controversial proposal. (Weixel, 12/1)
Nashville Tennessean: Tennessee TennCare Block Grant Plan: Feds Open 'Comment Period'
Tennesseans have one more chance to voice their opinions on a proposal to overhaul TennCare, the state health insurance program that covers one in every five people. The federal government will collect comments until December 27 on the controversial plan by Gov. Bill Lee's administration to give state officials more authority to decide who is covered, what services are provided and how much the state will pay for them. (Wadhwani, 11/29)
St. Louis Post Dispatch: Parson Says He’ll Expand Medicaid If Voters Back Ballot Measure
Gov. Mike Parson said Tuesday he would expand Medicaid if that’s what Missourians want, even though he has indicated he won’t support a ballot measure to grow the program. “If the people of the state of Missouri — that is their will and they vote to do that — that’s what I’m supposed to do is uphold the will of the people of this state, and that’s what I intend to do regardless of whether I agree with the issue or whether I don’t,” Parson told reporters at a news conference on Tuesday. (Suntrup, 11/27)
The Wall Street Journal: State Comptroller To Cuomo: Come Clean On Medicaid Cuts
New York state’s chief fiscal officer wants Gov. Andrew Cuomo to quickly provide more information about potential cuts to the Medicaid program, which the governor’s office recently put on the table to deal with a $4 billion cost overrun. Comptroller Tom DiNapoli said in an interview last week that he’s concerned about the situation, which has been developing since the state began its new fiscal year in April. A midyear update released by Mr. Cuomo’s Division of the Budget last month said the state could reduce payments and reimbursements to health-care service providers by $1.8 billion. Details will be coming in January, the update said. (Vielkind, 12/1)
