- Oregon to use Kentucky Medicaid system, By Saerom Yoo, December 9, 2014, Statesman Journal: “The Oregon Health Authority will import Kentucky’s online Medicaid enrollment system, marking the second phase of the state’s transition in the face of last year’s Cover Oregon technology mess. OHA Medicaid Director Judy Mohr Peterson made the announcement to legislators in the Capitol on Monday, saying the Kentucky exchange system has been successful, that it has the kind of functionality Oregon needs and that the state has a similar Medicaid population to Oregon…”
- California managed-care pilot program meets resistance, By Anna Gorman, December 6, 2014, Washington Post: “California’s initial efforts to move almost 500,000 low-income seniors and disabled people automatically into managed care has been rife with problems in its first six months, leading to widespread confusion, frustration and resistance. Many beneficiaries have received stacks of paperwork they don’t understand. Some have been mistakenly shifted to the new insurance coverage or are unaware they were enrolled. And a third of those targeted for enrollment through Nov. 1 opted out, indicating they will stick with their traditional coverage. Prompted by the Affordable Care Act, the federal government is trying to streamline services and cut costs for the 9 million Americans who are in both Medicare and Medicaid. A dozen states have received grants to launch pilot projects, and five are enrolling participants — Virginia, Ohio, Massachusetts, Illinois and California…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty