Indiana alters foster care pay system, By Amanda Hamon, August 23, 2011, Lafayette Journal and Courier: “An upcoming change in the way the state will handle daily payments to foster parents is raising some questions among local families. Beginning Jan. 1, foster parents will receive from the state a daily amount per child based on the child’s age and particular needs, state officials announced Friday. The tiered payment system will replace one in which the state pays parents a flat $25 per child. Under the new system, the daily payment could drop to as little as $18.25 for a child younger than 5 with minimal special needs — or rise to as high as $66.56 for a highly needy, teenage child…”
Day: August 25, 2011
Medicaid Eligibility System – Colorado
Report: CO Medicaid system plagued by delays, By Ivan Moreno (AP), August 23, 2011, Denver Post: “Colorado’s Medicaid program has had significant delays in determining applicants’ eligibility, according to a federal review released Tuesday that raised the question of withholding money from the state if problems are not solved. The review from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services also found that Colorado’s system does not provide sufficient time for applicants to show proof of citizenship and is not programmed to deny or terminate benefits to those who don’t qualify. The report presented to lawmakers in the state audit committee said Colorado is not complying with federal regulations that call for eligibility to be determined within 90 days for people with disabilities-or within 45 days for all other applicants. The report said about half of all applications are not processed within the federal timelines. State officials responded that they’ve made system improvements and now 80 percent of all applications are processed in time…”
Unintended Pregnancies and Income
Unintended pregnancy rate rises among poor women, study says, By Shari Roan, August 24, 2011, Los Angeles Times: “Unintended pregnancies make up almost half of all pregnancies in the U.S. But a new study shows that rates are rising among poor women and declining among women with adequate economic resources. The report, released Wednesday by researchers at the Guttmacher Institute, reviews data from 1994 through 2006. The unintended pregnancy rate among women with incomes below the poverty line rose 50% in that time period. Among higher-income women, the rate fell 29%…”