Medicaid & the Uninsured: April 6, 2022
ACA Sign-Ups for Low-Income People Roll Out Amid Brokers’ Concerns About Losing Their Cut
Julie Appleby
The Biden administration unveiled a new special enrollment option aimed at signing up low-income Americans for Affordable Care Act coverage — even if it is outside of the usual annual open enrollment period. But insurers are cutting broker commissions at the same time.
Patients’ Perilous Months-Long Waiting for Medicaid Coverage Is a Sign of What’s to Come
Bram Sable-Smith and Rachana Pradhan
The pandemic crisis has overwhelmed understaffed state Medicaid agencies, already delaying access to the insurance program in Missouri. As the public health emergency ends, low-income people nationwide could find it even harder to have coverage.
Pandemic Funding Is Running Out for Community Health Workers
Lauren Weber
Illinois used federal pandemic money to hire community health workers who connect people with food banks and rental assistance programs, just like public health officials have long hoped to do. What will happen to the community trust that has been built up when the federal money runs out and the workers disappear?
Senators Ask GAO to Examine Medicaid’s Low Covid Vaccination Rates
Phil Galewitz
Sens. Robert Casey Jr. and Ron Wyden want a probe into what barriers are keeping Medicaid plans from reaching enrollees.
The End of the Covid Emergency Could Mean a Huge Loss of Health Insurance
Elisabeth Rosenthal
It is a perilous time to throw low- and middle-income Americans off the insurance cliff: A new omicron subvariant is spreading, and a program that provided coronavirus testing and covid-19 treatment at no cost to the uninsured has expired.
Tennessee Offers to Expand Dental Schools as Medicaid Coverage Stretches Need
Blake Farmer, Nashville Public Radio
As states expand Medicaid’s dental benefits, they’re running up against a shortage of dentists willing to work on those patients, especially in rural communities. So Tennessee is helping dental schools expand and offering to pay off student loans for those who work in high-need areas.
At a Tennessee Crossroads, Two Pharmacies, a Monkey, and Millions of Pills
Brett Kelman
Prosecutors say opioid-seeking patients drove hours to get their prescriptions filled in Celina, Tennessee, where pharmacies ignored signs of substance misuse and paid cash — or “monkey bucks” — to keep customers coming back.
Montana Is Sending Troubled Kids to Out-of-State Programs That Have Been Accused of Abuse
Cameron Evans
State health officials are using Medicaid funds to send children in their care to treatment programs in states with less stringent regulations, including programs accused of abuse and mistreatment.
Record Fines Might Mean California Is Finally Serious About Improving Medi-Cal
Bernard J. Wolfson
California regulators issued record fines against L.A. Care, the state’s largest Medi-Cal managed-care plan, for providing inadequate care to its enrollees. But whether the penalties are a sign that the state will make a more forceful effort to improve Medi-Cal’s overall quality of care remains to be seen.
Want Vulnerable Californians to Have Healthier Pregnancies? Doulas Say the State Must Pay Up.
Rachel Bluth
California was supposed to start paying doulas this year to help Medicaid enrollees have healthy pregnancies. But the benefit has been delayed because doulas feel lowballed by the state’s proposed reimbursement rate, which is below what most other states pay.
KHN’s ‘What the Health?’: Funding for the Next Pandemic
In his proposed budget, President Joe Biden called for a boost in health spending that includes billions of dollars to prepare for a future pandemic. But that doesn’t include money he says is needed immediately for testing and treating covid-19. Also this week, federal regulators authorized a second booster shot for people 50 and older yet gave little guidance to consumers about who needs the shot and when. Amy Goldstein of The Washington Post, Jennifer Haberkorn of the Los Angeles Times, and Rachana Pradhan of KHN join KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey to discuss these issues and more. Plus, Julie Rovner interviews KHN’s Julie Appleby, who reported and wrote the latest KHN-NPR “Bill of the Month” episode about a very expensive air ambulance ride.
Journalists Discuss How Legislation Affects Mental Health Care and Abortion Training
KHN and California Healthline staff made the rounds on national and local media this week to discuss their stories. Here’s a collection of their appearances.
Readers and Tweeters Remain Vigilant on Masking and Billing
Terry Byrne
KHN gives readers a chance to comment on a recent batch of stories.
Trabajadores comunitarios de salud se están quedando sin fondos para ayudar a los más vulnerables
Lauren Weber
Los trabajadores comunitarios de salud son críticos para ayudar a los más vulnerables. Pero sus empleos están en peligro a medida que disminuyen los casos de covid.