Improved Economy, Obamacare Boost Demand For Travel Nurses
Rising admissions are driving up the need for nurses willing to travel across the country to work in hospitals.
‘Free’ Contraception Means ‘Free,’ Obama Administration Tells Insurers
The announcement says that the health law’s provision that insurers provide free contraceptives extends to all types of prescribed methods.
Florida Governor Leaves D.C. Meeting Empty-Handed
Despite ‘a good conversation’ with HHS Secretary Sylvia Burwell, Gov. Rick Scott gets no commitment on uncompensated care funding.
Paying Medicaid Enrollees To Get Checkups, Quit Smoking and Lose Weight: Will It Pay Off?
Like wellness programs in the private sector, more than a dozen states are offering incentives to Medicaid enrollees to spur them to make healthier decisions — and potentially save taxpayers money.
Tennessee, Kansas Also Get Warning: Expand Medicaid Or Risk Hospital Funds
Federal officials have warned several states that their reluctance to expand Medicaid could cost them special federal funding to treat the uninsured.
Moving Out: Hospitals Leave Downtowns For More Prosperous Digs
Hospitals are relocating to more affluent communities to attract better-paying patients, but critics say they abandon the poor.
Most Americans Unaware Obamacare Subsidies Are At Risk
When informed about the challenge before the high court, about two-thirds said that lawmakers should restore subsidies if the justices strike them down.
No Medicaid Expansion? No Problem For Many Safety-Net Hospital Profits
In some of the largest states that did not expand Medicaid, many safety-net hospitals turned in strong performances in 2014, according to financial documents.
HHS Shifts Money From Cancer, Global Health To Pay For Health Insurance Exchange
Some House Republicans question the transfer of funds, but HHS says the shifts are legal and necessary to operate a marketplace, which is relied upon by 37 states.
Tax Time Reprieve For Obamacare Procrastinators
The Obama administration announced a special enrollment period from March 15 to April 30 for healthcare.gov consumers who discover they owe a penalty after filling out their tax returns.
States Add Dental Coverage For Adults On Medicaid But Struggle to Meet Demand
Dentists say they’re reluctant to see Medicaid patients because they’re typically paid about half as much as they get from private patients.
Pregnant And Uninsured? Don’t Count On Obamacare
March of Dimes, Young Invincibles and Planned Parenthood say that pregnant women should be able to get health coverage outside the three-month open enrollment period.
Concierge Medicine Firm Found Liable For Doctor’s Negligence
In what may be the first verdict of its kind, a jury found the concierge medical giant MDVIP responsible for physician’s negligent care of a Boca Raton patient.
Why Florida Is No. 1 In Obamacare Enrollment Despite GOP Opposition
More Floridians have signed up for private health exchange plans than in any other state thanks to online mapping tools, coordinated outreach efforts and insurers’ involvement — and in spite of Republican opposition.
Indiana Medicaid Expansion May Tempt Other GOP-Led States
A three-year agreement between Indiana and the federal government imposes cost-sharing on poor adults and uses a cigarette tax and a fee on hospitals to pay the state’s costs of expanding Medicaid — and could lead to other GOP-led states following suit.
Medicaid Pay Hike Opened Doors For Patients, Study Finds
Patients gained access to primary care doctors as a result of the health law’s pay increase, according to the analysis.
High Court Weighs Whether Providers Can Sue States Over Medicaid Pay
The Idaho case is being closely watched by states that want to stop such lawsuits, as well as by patient advocates and providers who say patients’ access to care depends on fair rates.
Supreme Court Battle Brewing Over Medicaid Fees
States say government should be able to set rates without courts stepping in. Patient advocates and providers say intervention is needed to improve access.
Might Your Workers Be Eligible For Medicaid? Start-Up Helps Employers Find Out
BeneStream screens for Medicaid-eligible workers, creating a win-win for both employers and employees.
As Docs Face Big Cuts In Medicaid Pay, Patients May Pay The Price
The health law offered a two-year pay raise for primary care doctors who see Medicaid patients to entice them to participate, but that expires Dec. 31.
