Medicaid & The Uninsured

Paper Jam: California’s Medicaid Program Hits ‘Print’ When The Feds Need Info
By Chad Terhune
Amid the buzz over apps and electronic medical records rescuing modern medicine, California’s Medicaid program still clings to 1970s-era technology. A reboot may cost half a billion dollars.

From Syria To Southern California: Refugees Seek Care For Wounds Of War
By Eryn Brown and Heidi de Marco
A clinic in El Cajon, Calif., treats patients recovering from anything from gunshot wounds to PTSD and anxiety about family left behind.

In Trump’s First Year, Nation’s Uninsured Rate Unchanged
By Phil Galewitz
The Census Bureau reports that the nation’s uninsurance rate was 8.8 percent in 2017 but notes that the rate did increase in 14 states.

Medicaid Covers Foster Kids, But Daunting Health Needs Still Slip Through The Cracks
By Phil Galewitz
Nearly all children in the foster care system are covered by Medicaid. Yet, foster parents still struggle to meet the extraordinary health needs of their children. To solve this, some states are experimenting with a coordinated approach to care — with mixed results.

Medicaid Officials Target Home Health Aides’ Union Dues
By Shefali Luthra
Federal officials are proposing a rule to prohibit home health aides paid directly by Medicaid from having their dues for the powerful Service Employees International Union automatically deducted from their paychecks. The effort would likely mean those workers are far less likely to pay dues and could diminish the union’s influence.

Medicaid Expansion Making Diabetes Meds More Accessible To Poor, Study Shows
By Pauline Bartolone
The number of diabetes drug prescriptions filled for low-income people enrolled in Medicaid rose sharply in states that expanded eligibility for the program under the Affordable Care Act, according to a new study.

In Weary Post-Storm Puerto Rico, Medicaid Cutbacks Bode New Ills
By Sarah Varney and Carmen Heredia Rodriguez
The island’s government must squeeze $840.2 million in annual savings from Medicaid by 2023, part of the U.S. territory’s agreement with the federal government as Puerto Rico claws its way back from fiscal oblivion. Experts warn such drastic cuts defy actuarial science.

Children With Disabilities Endure Long Waits For Life-Changing Medical Equipment
By Jocelyn Wiener
Some California children with serious health care problems wait more than a year for wheelchairs, bath benches, commodes, specialized crutches and other crucial medical equipment. Critics blame the delays on a confusing bureaucratic maze of private insurers and public programs.

In Florida, Midterm Elections Hold Faint Hope For Medicaid Expansion
By Phil Galewitz
Republicans’ overwhelming majorities in the state legislature make pursuing a policy that could benefit 660,000 uninsured adults a “long shot,” political analysts say.

Insurers Fall Short In Catching And Reporting Medicaid Fraud, Inspectors Find
By Chad Terhune
Medicaid has struggled for years with poor oversight and billions lost to improper payments. A new report finds that despite their fraud-fighting rhetoric, Medicaid managed-care companies are not as rigorous as they should be in ensuring the integrity of the Medicaid payment system.

As Medicaid Costs Soar, States Try A New Approach
By Phil Galewitz
New programs, known as ACOs, reward hospitals and physician groups that hold down costs by keeping enrollees healthy. The health care providers are asked to address social issues — such as homelessness, lack of transportation and poor nutrition — that can cause and exacerbate health problems.

Most Texans Want State To Expand Medicaid And Help Poor Get Health Care
By Ashley Lopez, KUT
Texans think the Legislature should expand Medicaid to more low-income people and make health care more affordable, according to a survey released today from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Episcopal Health Foundation.

5 Things To Know About Medicaid Work Requirements
By Phil Galewitz
The key issues in play when a U.S. District Court takes up a legal challenge to Kentucky’s Medicaid work requirement on Friday.