Since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled this past summer that the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) could not require states to expand Medicaid, there have been dozens of stories about which states will or will not choose to accept the PPACA’s Medicaid expansion. But, according to the results of a survey by the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured, along with the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families, regardless of which way a state is leaning over … [Read more...] about States Modernizing Medicaid
Medicaid
More Governors Open to Medicaid Expansion
When the Supreme Court overturned the portion of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act that required states to expand Medicaid or risk losing federal dollars, it paved the way for states to choose whether they wanted to expand the program or not. At the time, many Republican state governors expressed their opposition to the expansion, while Democratic governors generally supported it. Now, in the wake of last year’s presidential election, more state governors have now begun voicing … [Read more...] about More Governors Open to Medicaid Expansion
State Medicaid Expansion Won’t Costs States Too Much
As state legislatures enter 2013, many face the question of whether or not to expand Medicaid under the terms of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. A study released by the Kaiser Family Foundation, a nonprofit organization that studies health care and healthcare policy, reports that states will not have to spend a lot of money to expand Medicaid coverage to include more people. The study shows that individual state Medicaid spending would increase by only about .3% if a state … [Read more...] about State Medicaid Expansion Won’t Costs States Too Much
Governors Pressured to Expand Medicaid
In early December, Kathleen Sebelius, the secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, sent a letter to state governors informing them that the federal government would not support or pay for a limited expansion of Medicaid coverage for needy individuals and families. The Obama administration wants states to expand Medicaid under the terms of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, the healthcare legislation passed during the first Obama term. However, the Supreme Court’s … [Read more...] about Governors Pressured to Expand Medicaid
Medicaid Spending Increases at Unusual Rate
The past year has been one filled with heated discussions about the expenses associated with programs such as Medicaid. If you are unfamiliar with Medicaid, it is the massive government program through which millions of disabled or impoverished Americans receive their healthcare insurance coverage, if they are able to make it through the infamous restrictions placed upon who can qualify for its benefits. Regardless of how you feel about Medicaid, the results of an annual survey conducted by the … [Read more...] about Medicaid Spending Increases at Unusual Rate
Is Medicaid Just as Good as Private Insurance?
One might think that the answer to this question would be heavily in favor of the private insurance, but, according to a study recently conducted by the Government Accountability Office (GAO), that may not be the case. According to the GAO study, persons whose healthcare coverage is provided by Medicaid tend to enjoy nearly the same access to medical care as those persons covered by private insurance plans. In fact, the GAO found that children do have equal access to doctors regardless … [Read more...] about Is Medicaid Just as Good as Private Insurance?
Avoiding Medicaid and Medicare Fraud
Each year the Federal government pays out tens of billions of dollars from the Medicare and Medicaid coffers because of fraud. With the number of seniors only expected to increase as humans begin to live longer than ever before, and the baby boomers age into their retirement years, the frequency of, and amounts lost to fraud, is expected to increase as well. So how can you protect yourself? The number of scams by which Medicare and Medicaid funds are obtained fraudulently is mind-boggling, but … [Read more...] about Avoiding Medicaid and Medicare Fraud
No Medicaid Expansion Might Translate to Higher Premiums for Some
When the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was first passed, it contained a requirement that all states must expand their Medicaid programs to include anyone making up to 133% of the federal poverty guidelines. However, after the Supreme Court ruled on the law, states are now capable of opting out of this expansion. Recently, Mississippi became the first such state to do so, even though a recent report from a professional group of actuaries states that choosing not to expand Medicaid … [Read more...] about No Medicaid Expansion Might Translate to Higher Premiums for Some
States Make Billions in Medicaid Fraud Settlements
In recent years, both state governments and the federal government have made a lot of money in settling Medicaid fraud cases. Because Medicaid is a jointly run state and federal health insurance program, Medicaid fraud cases often result in both state and federal governments receiving funds. A recent report from the consumer group Public Citizen details exactly how much money is involved. During the first six months of 2012, companies and individuals settling Medicaid fraud cases with the … [Read more...] about States Make Billions in Medicaid Fraud Settlements
Medicaid Expansion Leads to Fewer Deaths
A recent study out of Harvard University shows that expansion of Medicaid programs may contribute to decreased death rates amongst the poor, elderly, disabled, and other vulnerable populations. Researchers at the Harvard School of Public Health recently released a study showing that in 2001 and 2002, three states which expanded Medicaid to include more people from vulnerable populations experienced a 6.1 percent decline in the death rate for people between ages 20 and 64 when compared to … [Read more...] about Medicaid Expansion Leads to Fewer Deaths
