Virginia Governor Backs Down — For Now — On Medicaid Expansion
Gov. Terry McAuliffe, who has fought repeatedly with the Republican legislature as he tries to expand Virginia's Medicaid program, does not include the item in his budget this year. Meanwhile, news outlets offer Medicaid developments in New Mexico, Texas and Kansas.
Richmond Times Dispatch:
Governor Leaves Medicaid Expansion Funds Out Of His Budget Revisions
[Gov. Terry] McAuliffe did not include $2.4 billion in federal funds that Virginia could use to expand the health care program under the Affordable Care Act or an estimated state general fund savings of $213 million that he said could have helped offset spending cuts. Citing “a great deal of uncertainty” over the future of the law, the governor told legislators he chose “the fiscally prudent path” by leaving enhanced federal Medicaid funds out of the budget. But McAuliffe did propose language that would strip a provision that Republican opponents forced into the budget more than two years ago to prevent him from expanding Medicaid without assembly approval. (Martz, 12/16)
Santa Fe New Mexican:
Slow Repayment Of $11M In Medicaid Funds Irks Behavioral Health Care Providers
When state officials announced in 2013 that 15 behavioral health providers might have committed Medicaid fraud, they cut off future Medicaid payments to those organizations and froze more than $11 million in reimbursements for treatment services already rendered. Now cleared of criminal wrongdoing by the state Attorney General’s Office, the providers of substance abuse treatment and other mental health services want the Medicaid funds they are owed. But all is not going smoothly, according to an email exchange in September between a state official and an executive with OptumHealth New Mexico, which has been holding the money and is supposed to distribute it at the direction of state officials. (Horwath, 12/18)
The Associated Press:
Texas Begins Implementing $350M In Medicaid Therapy Cuts
Some $350 million in cuts to a Texas Medicaid program providing therapy for disabled children have taken effect. The reductions sparked outcry after being approved by the GOP-controlled Legislature last year. They reduce revenue for some Texas therapy providers. Opponents say they'll force providers to close, and could cost roughly 60,000 children access to speech and occupational therapists. (12/16)
Kansas Health Institute:
Kansas Delays KanCare Changes Amid Federal Uncertainty
Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration has requested a one-year extension of the current KanCare program while delaying a proposal for an updated version of the Medicaid managed care system. KanCare, which placed all 425,000 Kansans in Medicaid under the administration of three private insurance companies, began in 2013 and is scheduled to expire at the end of 2017. State officials had planned to make changes to the current contracts and then apply for a long-term extension of KanCare with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at the beginning of 2017. (Marso, 12/16)