States Moving Ahead On Defining ‘Essential’ Health Insurance Benefits Under Federal Law
At least 16 states have decided on a minimum set of benefits for individual and group health plans starting in 2014, and many more states are close to decisions.
Boom In Trauma Centers Can Help Save Lives, But At What Price?
More than 200 centers have opened since 2009, but experts raise concerns about cost and quality.
Obama, Ryan Offer Dueling Visions Of Medicare To AARP Members
Both candidates portray themselves as protectors of the popular entitlement program and argue their rivals’ plans would undermine it.
Romney Adviser’s Firm Says Most States Will Expand Medicaid — If Obama Is Re-Elected
The consulting firm headed by the man planning Mitt Romney’s White House transition –should there be one — says most states eventually will expand Medicaid under the health law, if President Barack Obama is re-elected. A report completed this week by Leavitt Partners, led by Romney adviser and former Health and Human Services Secretary Mike Leavitt, noted the […]
Insurance Coverage Improves In 20 States, Census Shows
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Urgent Care Centers Are Booming, Which Worries Some Doctors
Millions of consumers embrace clinics’ convenience, but some physicians warn they’re no replacement for a family doctor.
Census: Uninsured Numbers Decline As More Young Adults Gain Coverage
The number of people without health insurance fell to 48.6 million last year, or 15.7 percent of the population, the first drop since 2007, according to new census numbers reported Wednesday.
Romney And Ryan Camps Walk Back Candidates’ Statements On Health Law
On Sunday, GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney, appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, said he would keep the popular provision in President Barack Obama’s health law that “makes sure those with pre-existing conditions can get coverage.” And on ABC’s This Week with George Stephanopoulus, Paul Ryan appeared to back a lesser-known part of the law called […]
What’s Your Guess On Newest Uninsured Numbers? Win A Prize (Well, Recognition)
After the monthly jobs report on Friday, the next big federal report with implications for the presidential race comes Wednesday morning when the Census Bureau releases its annual study on the number of people without health insurance. Last year, the Census reported that in 2010 the number of uninsured rose by 1 million to 49.9 million while the rate […]
Study: Nearly A Third Of Doctors Won’t See New Medicaid Patients
But the rate is almost twice as high in New Jersey, largely because the state pays doctors so little to participate in the program for low-income and disabled residents.
States Cut Medicaid Drug Benefits To Save Money
Illinois is the latest state to act, imposing a limit of four drugs.
13 States Cut Medicaid To Balance Budgets
Provider cuts may limit care for poor people and make it harder to expand the program in 2014.
Maine’s Efforts To Pare Medicaid May Put It On Collision Course With Administration
State is moving ahead with plans to cut thousands of residents from the health insurance program for the poor.
Hospitals Finding Patients On Google, Facebook
Officials say the strategy helps patients, as well as providers. But critics complain it’s about revenue generation, not about improving health.
Sebelius Signal To States: Don’t Roll Back Medicaid Eligibility
In letter to governors, HHS Secretary Sebelius urges states to “take advantage of unusually generous” Medicaid expansion deal.
Medicaid Expansion Already An Issue In Some Gubernatorial Races
Hours after the Supreme Court upheld President Barack Obama’s health law but made its Medicaid expansion optional, Missouri Republican gubernatorial candidate Bill Randles said the state would be foolish to expand the health insurance program for the poor — even it means passing up hundreds of millions of federal dollars. “States that accept this new […]
States Could Cut Medicaid Rolls In 2014 As A Result Of Court Ruling
Some low-income adults could be thrown “into a black hole with nowhere to turn for coverage.”
States Balk At Expanding Medicaid
A growing number of Republican lawmakers and state Medicaid officials say they may pass up the nearly $1 trillion federal pot to expand the program. Politics is a factor, but cash-strapped states also have legitimate budget concerns.
Ruling Puts Pressure On States To Act
The Supreme Court Thursday gave states the option to skip the Medicaid expansion, but the pressure of accepting millions in new federal dollars to pay for coverage for low-income people may be too great.
Court Challenge Could Result In Medicaid Cutbacks Instead Of Expansion
Under the health law, Medicaid will grow to cover every American with a household income below 133 percent of the federal poverty level. A ruling against the expansion — or the entire law
