Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Most Americans Oppose GOP Plan To Cut Medicaid
Kaiser Family Foundation survey finds about 60 percent of Americans want Congress to keep Medicaid in its current form.
‘No Regrets’ In Nursing Home Industry For Health Law Support-The KHN Interview
Mark Parkinson, head of the largest nursing home lobby, says some nursing homes will be hurt by the law’s requirement to offer workers insurance but they still favor the overhaul to bring health care costs under control.
GOP Pushes To Let States Reduce Medicaid Rolls
Forget about Medicaid block grants. The GOP says states should be allowed to make it harder to qualify for the health program for the poor. Will Democrats go along?
Who Pays For Unintended Pregnancies?
The cost of unintended pregnancies is large, and much of the bill – about $11 billion per year – is ultimately picked up by the government, a new study finds.
What Medicaid Cuts Will Mean For Seniors And Others With Disabilities (Guest Opinion)
Howard Gleckman wonders how society will provide care to the frail elderly people who rely on the program and account for one-third of its budget.
Health On The Hill Transcript – Coburn Exit Has Some Questioning Role Of Gang Of Six
KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey talks with The Fiscal Times’ Eric Pianin about the Gang of Six, negotiators seeking consensus on deficit reduction plans.
States Struggling To Pay For Aged, Disabled Community Programs – A KHN Interview
Martha Roherty, who represents officials running state programs, says that “things that allow people to keep their family members at home longer” are often being cut.
A Success Story: Expanding Health Care Options For Detroit’s Poor-The KHN Interview
Dr. Herbert Smitherman talks about the Voices of Detroit Initiative that tracked 33,000 uninsured people and helped get more than half of them into coordinated care systems.
Located in one of the nation’s most medically underserved areas, St. John’s Well Child and Family Center is bracing for GOP-backed Medicaid cuts that the facility’s director says would be disastrous.
When it comes to controlling rising health care costs, we face an urgent problem that leads to a simple question: Is there a smart idea that can be done now? Yes. It’s called “Paying for Outcomes.”
Florida Legislature Passes Massive Medicaid Overhaul
Arguing that the proposal will save tax dollars and improve patient care, Republican lawmakers Friday approved a massive overhaul of Florida’s Medicaid system.
Debating Medicaid Block Grants
Columnists Harold Pollack and Michael F. Cannon contribute very different opinions on the Republican proposal to fundamentally change Medicaid.
The president and the Republicans agree that balancing the federal budget is impossible without restraining Medicaid spending. That will be much easier if we could stop pretending that every single Medicaid enrollee needs to be there.
The Real Impact Of Cutting Medicaid — Just When We Need It The Most (Guest Opinion)
The recent policy debate surrounding the health care safety net seems predicated on the philosophy that we must sharply shrink government despite the accompanying human costs. That vision is most congenial to those who feel comfortable and safe without public help.
Democrats, Advocacy Groups Campaign Against Medicaid Block Grants
In the continuing Democratic assault on the House GOP’s 2012 budget bill, a group of senators today warned of dire consequences on the plan to transform Medicaid into a block grant program.
Community Health Centers To ‘Turn The Promise Of Coverage’ Into Better Care-The KHN Interview
Dan Hawkins, senior vice president of the centers’ national association, says influx of federal funding is helping them to reach out to more people.
Insurers Clash With Health Providers As States Expand Medicaid Managed Care
Many states are trying to restrain Medicaid spending by putting more people into managed care plans, but with billions of dollars at stake, insurers and health providers are lobbying hard for their interests.
There Aren’t Enough Rich People To Pay For Medicare And Medicaid! — Guest Opinion
This country is in such a hole that it is senseless to deny that some new taxes will be needed to pay for all of the nation’s accumulated debts. But folks, we can’t just tax our way out of this mess.
Nursing Home Industry Leader Worries About Cuts To Medicare, Medicaid
Too few resources are available to handle the predicted explosion in the number of elderly, says Mark Parkinson, head of the largest nursing home lobby.
Governors’ Letter Shows Why Medicaid Block Grants Are Necessary — Guest Opinon
Seventeen governors sent a letter to congressional leaders in opposition to a plan by House Budget Committee Chairman Paul Ryan, R-Wis., to convert Medicaid into a block grant program. But their criticisms fall flat.
