Latest Morning Briefing Stories
Administration Scales Back Expansion Of Community Health Centers
Health centers fear they won’t be able to expand fast enough to meet the growing demand from the current uninsured and the influx of people to Medicaid in 2014.
HCA May Face Big Revenue Hit If Feds Approve Texas Medicaid Plan
Hospital Corporation of America receives hundreds of millions of dollars in supplemental Medicaid money to help cover the poor and uninsured, but Texas officials suggest HCA may be benefiting the most.
In New Term, Supreme Court To Tackle Divisive Issues
The Supreme Court starts its new term Monday. Among the issues slated to be decided are if doctors, hospitals and patients can challenge state-enacted reductions in Medicaid payments.
Perry’s Medicaid Plan Secret: Dems Like It
Texas is quietly revamping the health safety net for the poor in a way some Dems can get behind.
Demise Of Pa. Plan For Low-Income Adults Leaves Many Uninsured
Six months after the state ended the adultBasic health coverage, only about 40 percent of the enrollees went to Medicaid or a limited benefit plan opened to them.
President Obama Proposes Cuts To Health Care Spending To Lower Deficit
President Barack Obama on Monday proposed a series of cost savings in health care programs including to Medicare and Medicaid to reduce the deficit. The proposals include paying doctors for health care outcomes instead of on a “fee-for-service” basis, and Obama also rejected the notion turning Medicare into a “voucher” system.
The Specifics: How Obama Plans To Cut Health Programs By $320 Billion
Kaiser Health News staff writer Phil Galewitz reports that the biggest cut to Medicare requires pharmaceutical companies to lower the rates for low-income beneficiaries.
Some States Seeking Health Care Compact
The interstate compact, which has been adopted by four states, would replace federal programs – including Medicare and Medicaid – with block grants. It cannot be implemented without congressional approval.
Rate Of Uninsured Stays Flat In 2010, Census Reports
Young adults, Hispanics fare better but Asians worse.
Healthcare 101: Connecting Immigrant Communities To Care
For the first time the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to help eligible legal immigrants sign up for programs like Medicaid. Here’s one program.
Reaching Out To Legal Immigrants Who Need Health Care
For the first time the Department of Health and Human Services is trying to help eligible legal immigrants sign up for programs like Medicaid, sometimes by going to health fairs in immigrant neighborhoods.
Seeking To Save Money, Calif. Ending Adult Day Health Care Program
The state has said its decision to eliminate adult day health care services as a Medi-Cal benefit — essentially shuttering ADHC centers and moving beneficiaries into managed care — is a cost-saving move. But there are questions about how much money it actually will save.
How Would Perry Reform Health Care If President?
Republican presidential candidates are often careful to not reveal during primaries how they would change health care in America, and Texas Gov. Rick Perry is no exception. But examining Perry’s legislative record gives a glimpse into just what he’d change if elected.
Danforth On Super Committee’s Task: ‘The Problem Is The Cost Of Health Care’
The Republican former senator talks with KHN’s Mary Agnes Carey about the politics of deficit-cutting commissions and what it will take to tackle the ballooning federal deficit.
SSI Program For ADHD, Other Disabled Kids Under Scrutiny
The SSI program for low-income disabled children is rapidly expanding, with the biggest increase among kids with mental, behavioral and learning disorders, including ADHD, speech delays, autism, and bipolar disorder, sparking criticism in Congress.
As Hospitals Push ERs, States’ Medicaid Budgets Pressured
With their budgets squeezed, states are trying to reduce unnecessary ER visits by patients in Medicaid. But officials complain that their efforts are sometimes hampered by hospitals’ aggressive marketing of ERs to increase admissions and profits.
Housing Bust Derails Some Seniors’ Assisted-Living Care
With the real estate market depressed, thousands of seniors are unable to move because they can’t sell their homes.
Deficit ‘Super Committee’: Sharks vs. Jets?
The Fiscal Times outlines who’s on the panel, where they stand on the issues, and the likelihood of an agreement.
FAQ: ‘Super Committee’ Could Have Big Impact On Medicare, Medicaid Spending
A guide to how the congressional “super” committee’s deliberations could influence Medicare and Medicaid.
Former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist says the “super committee” has a chance at tamping down the nation’s debt and slowing Medicare spending growth because the American public understands the stakes – the American Dream.
