Latest Morning Briefing Stories
To Beat Heroin Addiction, A Turn To Coaches
A one-year pilot project in Gosnold, Mass., provides recovering addicts with daily, sometimes hourly, help from a recovery coach.
Obamacare Creates ‘Upheaval’ At Free Clinics
With many of their patients now insured under the law, most W. Va. free clinics are choosing to get paid by Medicaid.
Cleveland’s Early Medicaid Expansion Paying Off
Cuyahoga County, Ohio, created its own Medicaid program for 28,000 residents. So far, E.R. visits have dropped 60 percent.
Groups Sue Tennessee Over Medicaid Enrollment Delays
The plaintiffs accuse state officials of depriving thousands of residents of health care coverage.
Arkansas Weighs Plan To Make Some Medicaid Enrollees Fund Savings Accounts
The state is proposing that many people enrolled in the “private option” Medicaid expansion program contribute between $5 and $25 a month. Those who don’t could face additional medical expenses.
California Releases Proposal For Clearing Medicaid Backlog
As the federal government demands more accountability, other states are working on plans to fix delays and glitches in their systems as well.
Texas Sees Increased Medicaid Sign-Ups
Even though the state did not expand eligibility under the health law, experts say publicity about the law spurred greater awareness of the program.
Mountainous Backlog Stalls Medi-Cal Expansion in California
It’s hard to pin down why applicants are waiting so long for approval, and when the problem will be resolved. Meanwhile, some people are putting off treatment.
Michigan To Reward Medicaid Enrollees Who Take ‘Personal Responsibility’
The state is among the first to use financial incentives to encourage enrollees to boost their health.
More Than 1.7 Million Consumers Still Wait For Medicaid Decisions
Technological glitches at the federal and state levels and inadequate staffing have delayed eligibility determinations.
Jury Is Still Out On Medicaid Managed Care
While a growing number of states are contracting with managed care companies to manage their Medicaid programs, there are still questions about cost savings and quality.
Missouri’s Declining Medicaid Caseload Stands Out In National Report
Critics contend the state is making it harder for people to enroll or renew their coverage.
Adult Foster Care Aid May Be At Risk, Advocates Say
Among those who are worried are agencies that provide adult foster care for people who can’t live on their own, because of severe mental illness or developmental disabilities.
States Consider Using Medicaid To Pay College Health Plan Premiums
Advocates say that the option will provide more flexibility for students who are eligible for the state-federal health program for low-income people.
Safety Net Hospitals Already Seeing More Paying Patients – And Revenue
Many inner-city hospitals in Medicaid-expansion states report big drops in the number of uninsured people for whom they provide care.
The Politics Of Health In 2014 Aren’t What You Think
Some embattled Democrats see Medicaid expansion as a winning issue.
Leaving Jail Doesn’t Have To Mean Losing Health Care
California is among 25 states to open Medicaid to childless adults, including thousands of ex-offenders. Covering this group is expected to save money and perhaps reduce recidivism.
By The Numbers: Mental Illness Behind Bars
There are now three times more people with serious mental illness incarcerated in the United States than in hospitals, and the types of behavioral and mental health problems among inmates are becoming more severe.
Pennsylvania’s Medicaid Expansion To Require 723 New Workers
The number of state workers needed to expand the federal-state health care program for poorer Americans is far higher than most states have needed — typically in the dozens, not hundreds.
For Medicaid Patients, Access To Primary-Care May Not Be As Advertised
A survey conducted in Seattle found that half the time, primary-care providers listed as accepting new patients on Medicaid managed-care organization websites, in fact were not accepting new patients.
