Medicaid

WASHINGTON — With uncertainty continuing to swirl around Capitol Hill, conversations have begun to focus not on if there will be a partial shutdown of the federal government come midnight on Saturday, but on how that almost inevitable shutdown will... Read More

WASHINGTON — Women in Oklahoma are now the beneficiaries of a full 12 months of comprehensive coverage after pregnancy under a change in policy announced this past week by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Oklahoma is the 30th... Read More

WASHINGTON — When the Inflation Reduction Act became law last year, it empowered the Health and Human Services secretary, for the first time ever, to begin negotiating certain prescription drug prices with drug manufacturers. The prices would go into effect... Read More

WASHINGTON — A proposed physician fee schedule for 2023 published this past week by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services aims to increase access to behavioral health care, cancer screening and dental care. The Calendar Year 2023 Physician Fee... Read More

HERMISTON, Ore. — Oregon on Wednesday became the first state in the nation to receive an influx of significant new federal funding to pilot changes to the state’s Medicaid program. Gov. Kate Brown and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services has approved a first-of-its-kind proposal to cover community-based mobile crisis intervention services in Medicaid.  The proposal originated with the Oregon Health Authority and with the department’s blessing, through the Centers for... Read More

WASHINGTON — Lensmaker Essilor has agreed to pay $16.4 million to resolve allegations it caused claims to be submitted to Medicare and Medicaid that violated federal anti-kickback statutes.  Essilor, headquartered in Dallas, Texas, manufactures, markets and distributes optical lenses and... Read More

WASHINGTON — In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court on Wednesday ruled federal regulators improperly cut drug reimbursement payments to hospitals in low-income communities beginning in 2018, a move that cost hospitals and clinics billions of dollars. The ruling in... Read More

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 7-2 on Monday in favor of Florida's Medicaid program in a dispute over how much money the state can take from an accident victim's private settlement to recover the costs of their care.... Read More

WASHINGTON — The Department of Health and Human Services extended the COVID-19 public health emergency this week beyond the July 15 expiration to October. The eventual expiration of the declaration will lead to changes in certain flexibilities granted to Medicare... Read More

WASHINGTON — The federal COVID-19 public health emergency, first declared Jan. 27, 2020,  was set to expire on April 16. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra on Wednesday extended the COVID-19 public health emergency for 90 days. A number... Read More

SAN ANTONIO — Third Way, a D.C.- based think tank, released an analysis of the Build Back Better Act on Wednesday that predicts a two-parent family of four would get a tax cut and have lower costs of up to... Read More

WASHINGTON — Members of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine’s Health Policy and Advocacy Committee are now calling for lawmakers to revise current Medicaid policy dictating patients who desire postpartum sterilization wait 30 days. The pregnancy experts published their contentions to... Read More

WASHINGTON -- The Department of Health and Human Services slashed 30% in Medicaid reimbursement rates to eligible hospitals under the 340B drug discount program. The program, which has existed for 29 years, requires manufacturers of pharmaceutical companies under the Medicaid... Read More

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is disbursing an initial amount of $2 million to four health care entities in four states to bolster access to their services in underserved communities. Funds will be distributed to participating hospitals in... Read More

COLUMBUS, Ohio - Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost has filed an appeal of the Biden administration’s withdrawal of the state Medicaid work requirement previously approved by the Trump White House. “Removing a provision that says a healthy, able-bodied individual should... Read More

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law AB 133, an expansion of Medi-Cal that will provide coverage to undocumented Californians age 50 and over, set to go into effect in May 2022.  “Accessing health coverage through Medicaid... Read More

HARRISBURG, Penn. -- Pennsylvania lawmakers recently announced plans to expand the Medicaid postpartum coverage period for mothers. The extension will take effect on April 1, 2022.  “Pennsylvania has worked to protect and support mothers before, during and after birth for... Read More

Policymakers and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry debated the cost of prescription drugs and the myriad of proposals on Capitol Hill to bring those prices down at last week's Milken Institute Future of Health Summit. Amitabh Chandra, a health care... Read More

WASHINGTON - Sens. Patty Murray, D-Wash., and Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, are urging their colleagues to pass the Ensuring Access to Primary Care for Women & Children Act. This legislation is intended to expand access to primary care but it languished in... Read More

TOPEKA, Kan. – This week, Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly announced legislation to expand Medicaid, known as KanCare, and provide health insurance for 165,000 Kansans. The legislation also establishes a regulatory framework to make Kansas the 48th state to legalize medical... Read More

RICHMOND, Va. — Gov. Ralph Northam announced Virginia will allocate $25 million from the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act to fund monthly retainer payments for day support programs that provide services for Virginians with developmental disabilities.  These... Read More

About Bollier: After a career as a doctor, Bollier ran for the Kansas House of Representatives in 2010. There, she served as an independent voice for Kansans, earning a reputation as a leader willing to work with both political parties.... Read More

WASHINGTON — The National Governors Association is warning that a newly proposed regulation by the Trump administration could lead to dramatic cuts in Medicaid and deny health care to millions of low-income Americans. In a bipartisan letter signed by Govs.... Read More

WASHINGTON - States will now have the ability to convert part of their Medicaid funding into a block grant under a new program announced by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Thursday. According to Seema Verma, administrator of... Read More

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin’s controversial plan to impose work requirements and monthly premiums for many Kentucky Medicaid recipients is no more, Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced Monday. In one of his first major moves as the... Read More

In July, freshman Representative Jennifer Wexton, D-Va., introduced the Personal Needs Allowance Modernization Act to improve the financial security of Medicaid beneficiaries living in nursing facilities.  Currently, Medicaid beneficiaries who are eligible for nursing care must contribute almost their entire... Read More