Medicaid & The Uninsured

Providers Walk ‘Fine Line’ Between Informing And Scaring Immigrant Patients
By Ana B. Ibarra
Some doctors and clinics are proactively informing patients about a proposed policy that could jeopardize the legal status of immigrants who use public benefit programs such as Medicaid. Others argue that because this “public charge” proposal isn’t final — and may never be adopted — disseminating too much information could create unnecessary alarm and cause some patients to drop benefits.

Medicaid Plans Cover Doctors’ Visits, Hospital Care — And Now Your GED
By Phil Galewitz
These private insurers say improving education can help enrollees achieve a healthier lifestyle, so some pay for the tests and find ways to assist people studying for the exams.

After Bitter Closure, Rural Texas Hospital Defies The Norm And Reopens
By Charlotte Huff
The 25-bed hospital in Crockett, Texas, abruptly closed its doors in 2017, joining the ranks of nearly 100 rural hospitals that have shut down in the past decade. But the community kept the faith and several doctors reopened the facility this year.

Medicaid Patients In Puerto Rico Don’t Get Coverage For Drugs To Cure Hepatitis C
By Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
The program that provides health care for about half of the U.S. territory’s population cannot afford to cover the drugs.

Health Suffers Deep In The Troubled Heart Of Texas
By Sharon Jayson
The Lone Star State is an economic powerhouse, yet it fails to take care of its residents’ health and is home to some of the most extreme entrepreneurial medical practices.

Under Trump, Number Of Uninsured Kids Rose For First Time This Decade
By Phil Galewitz
About 276,000 more children are among the uninsured, a new report finds. Though the uptick is statistically small, it is striking because uninsured rates usually decrease during periods of economic growth.