States and Medicaid Coverage

Posted on April 17, 2015 by admin

• Under Obamacare, Medicaid now covers one-fifth of N.J. residents, By Kathleen O’Brien, April 14, 2015, Star-Ledger: “Medicaid, the public health insurance program expanded under the Affordable Care Act, now covers nearly one out of every five New Jersey residents, according to the latest enrollment figures.  More than 420,000 people signed up for insurance since New Jersey allowed more people to into the program, according to Valerie Harr, director of the division of medical assistance and health services for the N.J. Department of Human Services…”
• Some states pay doctors more to treat Medicaid patients, By Michael Ollove, April 17, 2015, Stateline: “Fifteen states are betting they can convince more doctors to accept the growing number of patients covered by Medicaid with a simple incentive: more money.  The Affordable Care Act gave states federal dollars to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care services—but only temporarily. The federal spigot ran dry on Jan. 1. Fearing that lowering the rates would exacerbate the shortage of primary care doctors willing to accept patients on Medicaid, the 15 states are dipping into their own coffers to continue to pay the doctors more.  It seems to be working…”