States and Medicaid Expansion

Posted on May 24, 2013 by admin

• Feds make it easier for states to enroll poor under health law, By Phil Galewitz, May 23, 2013, Philadelphia Inquirer: “The Obama administration is making it easier for states to sign up the poor for health coverage – and to help those people stay covered. On Friday, it informed state officials that they could simplify enrollment in Medicaid, the federal-state program for the poor, to handle the onslaught of millions of anticipated enrollees next year when the health care law expands coverage. The administration said the changes are geared to states that are expanding their programs, but they may also be adopted by others…”
• Medicaid opposition underscores states’ healthcare disparities, By Noam N. Levey, May 18, 2013, Los Angeles Times: “Republican opposition in many statehouses to expanding Medicaid next year under President Obama’s healthcare law — opposition that could leave millions of the nation’s poorest residents without insurance coverage — will likely widen the divide between the nation’s healthiest and sickest states. With nearly every GOP-leaning state on track to reject an expansion of the government health plan for the poor, the healthcare law’s goal of guaranteed insurance will become a reality next year mostly in traditionally liberal and moderate states. These states already have higher rates of health coverage…”
• Analysis: Medicaid expansion would save Utah millions, cover 123K uninsured, By Jennifer Dobner, May 23, 2013, Salt Lake Tribune: “Utah could save $131 million and extend health insurance to more than 123,000 of its uninsured residents over the next 10 years if state officials opt to fully expand Medicaid, according to a cost-benefit analysis released Thursday. If Utah chooses not to expand, however, Medicaid will cost the state $177 million due to increased enrollment as those who are currently eligible, but not enrolled, are spurred to seek coverage…”
• Taxpayers will pay more under Scott Walker health plan, study says, By Jason Stein, May 17, 2013, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: “Gov. Scott Walker’s proposed rejection of a federally funded expansion of state health programs would add some $50 million in costs to state taxpayers over the next two years, according to the Legislature’s nonpartisan budget office. The new report from the Legislative Fiscal Bureau immediately became part of the debate over Walker’s budget proposal for Medicaid programs, which is currently before lawmakers on the Joint Finance Committee. The budget panel is rewriting Walker’s bill and will send it to the Assembly and Senate early next month for their consideration…”
• Iowa House takes final action on health care for 150,000 low-income Iowans, By William Petroski, May 23, 2013, Des Moines Register: “The Iowa House took final action Thursday on a bill to assure health care for about 150,000 low-income Iowans, resolving a political controversy that had eluded resolution until the final days of the 2013 session. The House voted 80-17 to pass Senate File 446, which was part of a massive $1.7 billion health and human services funding bill intended to help some of Iowa’s neediest people…”
• Ohio House bill would expand Medicaid to cover state’s working poor, By Robert Higgs, May 22, 2013, Cleveland Plain Dealer: “A proposal to extend Medicaid coverage to Ohio’s working poor was introduced Wednesday in the Ohio House, but it may be just the first of many plans yet to come. The bill introduced by Republican Rep. Barbara Sears of Lucas County is in some ways similar to what Gov. John Kasich proposed in his budget in February…”
• Threats, vetoes fly as tensions rise over Medicaid expansion, By Mary Jo Pitzl, May 24, 2013, Arizona Republic: “Gov. Jan Brewer sent five bills to the scrap heap Thursday in a pointed gesture intended to prod lawmakers into a deal on the budget and her plan to expand Medicaid. The five vetoes, follow-through on Brewer’s promise to block legislation until her top priorities move forward, capped a tense day that saw some lawmakers receive threats over their support for the plan to provide health care for more of the state’s poor…”
• Maine Medicaid bill meets its fate: passed, vetoed, By Steve Mistler, May 23, 2013, Portland Press Herald: “Democrats in the Legislature knew that their signature policy achievement – a combination bill to expand public health insurance for the poor and pay off Maine’s $186 million debt to its hospitals – was likely temporary. On Thursday, Gov. Paul LePage made it so…”