Health and Poverty News
“The State Legislature passed a major piece of the federal Affordable Care Act on Saturday, opting to expand Medicaid to 1.4 million low-income people in California as it rushed to meet its deadline to complete a state budget.”
“A majority of Ohioans favor expanding Medicaid, a new poll for the Health Foundation of Greater Cincinnati shows. The poll released Friday shows 63.1 percent of adults support the expansion, while 30 percent are opposed and 6.9 percent don’t know.”
“An expansion of Medicaid to cover those between 100 percent and 138 percent of the federal poverty level — bringing close to 180,000 more Tennesseans into the health system — was supposed to be a central part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Supreme Court, however, made it optional.”
“The Republican-led Michigan House voted late Thursday to make hundreds of thousands more low-income adults eligible for Medicaid, sending the legislation across the Capitol to a chamber where its prospects are less certain.”
“A bill that could pass the state House this week would OK the expansion of the federal insurance program to about 450,000 working, uninsured Michiganders — folks whose income is between 100% and 133% of the federal poverty level.”
“Tony Keck, director of South Carolina s Medicaid agency, told a U.S. House of Representatives subcommittee that the federal government should give states more flexibility to tailor the program for their own unique needs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid take years to process state-specific requests, he said.”
“Years after facing patient dumping allegations and hefty legal settlements, Southern California hospital executives have begun working with advocates for the homeless to improve the health of homeless patients and to reduce their use of area hospitals.”
“Michigan lawmakers may be closer to approving an expansion of Medicaid health insurance to low-income adults. New version of Republican-sponsored legislation that could move from a House committee as early as Tuesday no longer includes a hard 4-year cap on benefits for certain adults.”
“On May 23, in an 11th-hour deal, the Iowa Legislature passed the Iowa Health and Wellness Plan, a compromise between the Medicaid expansion provided for in the Affordable Care Act and Gov. Terry Branstad’s Healthy Iowa Plan. The compromise followed a months-long standoff between Branstad and Senate Democrats, who wanted to expand Medicaid as outlined in the Affordable Care Act. The Iowa Health and Wellness Plan will do much of what the Medicaid expansion would have done. Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, it will cover all Iowans ages 19-64 with incomes less than 138 percent of the federal poverty line.”
“It's worth remembering that even after Medi-Cal expands, millions of Californians will be left without insurance. Some will be low-income workers who can't afford it even with the new federal subsidies. Others will be new immigrants, or those in the country illegally, who aren't eligible for state or federal help. If the counties can't provide low-cost preventive and coordinated care to these residents, they will be left to treat them at high cost in emergency rooms.”
“Wisconsin and Minnesota are neighboring states with long traditions of caring for the least fortunate, but, at the moment, only one of them is concerned about the health of the poor and uninsured. In February, more than 130,000 Minnesota residents who lack health insurance became eligible for coverage when the state expanded its Medicaid program under the health care reform law. That will save the state $129 million in the first two years alone. Wisconsin, however, has chosen to take the path of indifference.”
“As the CEOs of three major health systems in Michigan, we support Governor Snyder’s Healthy Michigan Plan that strives to improve and strengthen our state’s Medicaid program and offer health insurance to low-income working adults.”
“The Legislature’s Republican-controlled budget committee on Tuesday followed Gov. Scott Walker’s lead and rejected a federally funded Medicaid expansion, even though taking the money would have meant more Wisconsinites getting insurance at a cheaper cost to the state.”
“Gov. Mike Pence’s proposed expansion of health care for low-income Hoosiers through the Healthy Indiana Plan is a valuable experiment that will continue Indiana's trend as an innovator in government.”
“North Carolina should expect increased costs after deciding not to expand Medicaid as part of federal health-care reform, according to a new study by the RAND Corp. That nonprofit research organization looked at 14 states — including North Carolina — that decided against expanding Medicaid in their states. Medicaid provides health coverage to the state’s poorest women and children as well as the disabled. It found that opting out of expansion will leave millions without health insurance. That, in turn, will result in at least a short-term increase in the amount those states spend on uncompensated care, according to the study.”
“The Maine House has approved a bill to expand the state's Medicaid program — MaineCare — to include about 70,000 more people, a key component of the national Affordable Care Act. The expansion would increase eligibility to childless adults who earn less than 133 percent of the federal poverty guideline — just over $15,000 a year. Representatives voted 89-51 in favor of the bill Monday, adding changes to address worries of Republicans who've opposed expansion.”
“Despite expressing distaste for the new law, some GOP governors have endorsed an expansion of Medicaid, and three — Jan Brewer of Arizona, John Kasich of Ohio and Rick Snyder of Michigan — are trying to persuade their Republican-controlled legislatures to go along. The governors are unwilling to turn down Washington’s offer to spend millions, if not billions, in their states to add people to the state-federal program for the poor. But they face staunch opposition from many GOP legislators who oppose the health-care law and worry that their states will be stuck with the cost of adding Medicaid recipients.”
“We followed Ronald Reagan's lead and found ways to provide a better service at a lower cost. First, Reagan was fiscally responsible, but he was also pragmatic and compassionate. That's why I have pushed to move forward with a plan to expand Medicaid while protecting Ohio's economic recovery. Extending health care coverage to 275,000 low-income Ohioans — including 26,000 veterans — builds on what we have done.”
“Tens of thousands of uninsured veterans, mentally ill residents and other poor Ohioans will be caught in a coverage gap if state legislators refuse to expand Medicaid. Nearly 240,000 of the poorest Ohioans will be ineligible for tax-funded health care or federal subsidies to buy private insurance — which will be available to those with higher incomes next year when the new federal health-care law requires most Americans to have coverage or pay a tax penalty — a state-commissioned analysis estimates. ‘They are the poorest of the poor,’ said Cathy Levine, co-chair of Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage.”
“Lawmakers are scrambling to put forth alternative Medicaid expansion proposals after tossing aside Gov. John Kasich’s plan just weeks ago. But it’s unclear whether any of the new bills will clear the substantial hurdles: satisfy key business groups, gain federal approval, appease anti-Obamacare conservatives and win over a majority vote in both the House and Senate.”
“From nearly every perspective that you can view Medicaid expansion, it’s a good deal for Wisconsin. As the Joint Finance Committee of the Legislature finishes up its work on the 2013-15 state budget bill this week, it’s worth stressing that point again.”
“Tennessee has nearly 1 million uninsured residents, of whom at least 140,000 and maybe more than twice that number, by some estimates, likely would enroll in Medicaid if it were expanded under the ACA guidelines. About three-quarters would have been previously uninsured. Under the ACA expansion, the federal government would pick up the entire cost of new, previously ineligible enrollees for the first three years, phasing to 90 percent by 2020. In Tennessee, federal funds would have amounted to about $1.4 billion in the first year alone.”
“Medicaid expansion under the ACA allows states to extend coverage to individuals with incomes up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level — about $15,000 for an individual and $32,000 for a family of four. In our state, nearly 1,700 veterans and spouses are at or below 138 percent of the federal poverty level, and would be eligible for Medicaid coverage if Wisconsin chooses expansion.”
“Much implementation of the Affordable Care Act has moved from Washington to state capitals and is now trickling out into communities, where local organizations are being tapped to realize the ultimate goal: Get people health insurance. It will not be easy. Many people do not understand what the law does or that its major components kick in come January. Add in California's diverse population - including low-income residents and those who do not speak English - and the challenge grows.”
“Unlike Medicare, which is limited in scope and funded by payroll taxes and premiums, Medicaid is a fiscal and bureaucratic train wreck. Judging from my experience managing the system in two states for nearly 15 years, I can attest that Medicaid is a monstrosity that has exploded beyond actual need, covering more Americans than Medicare, and even more Americans living above the poverty line than below it. Moreover, its expanding caseload gobbles nearly a quarter of state budgets — more than a third in Missouri and Pennsylvania — crimping investments in education, research and infrastructure.”
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