Adding work rules to expand Medicaid is a false choice, activists say

February 12, 2018 health care, medicaid, News, politics

A lot has changed since Virginia’s gubernatorial race last November yielded the highest voter turnout in 20 years. Then, health care moved people to the polls, as casting ballots at the time meant extending health care to 400,000 people. Despite historic Democrat gains, Republicans maintained control of the state house. Now, Medicaid expansion is subject to unprecedented conditions.

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) sought to expand Medicaid eligibility to people making up to 133 ...

Kentucky Rushes to Remake Medicaid as Other States Prepare to Follow

February 10, 2018 Health Insurance and Managed Care, medicaid, News, Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010), Trump, Donald J

The state will require many people to work, volunteer or train for a job to qualify for coverage — and to prove it with frequent documentation.

The Trump administration wants to allow states to impose lifetime coverage limits on Medicaid

February 6, 2018 health care, medicaid, News, Trump administration

The Trump administration is taking aim at Medicaid yet again, specifically with lifetime coverage limits, according to a McClatchy report Monday evening.

Just weeks after unveiling guidance that will allow states to impose Medicaid work requirements, Trump’s Health and Human Services agency is reportedly attempting to limit the number of months adults have access to the safety net program. The cap, if approved, would be the first of its kind in Medicaid’s history.

ThinkProgress

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West Virginia’s billionaire governor pushes for barriers to welfare and Medicaid

February 6, 2018 health, medicaid, News

Months after rejecting a Kentucky-style work requirement for Medicaid in West Virginia, Gov. Jim Justice now seems to be moving in the opposite direction — with assistance from the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA), an American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) ally and an affiliate of the Koch-funded State Policy Network.

The apparent switch is nothing new for Justice, who made a leap into politics when he ran for governor of West Virginia as a Democrat ...

Work rules, drug tests, and time limits: When the GOP war on welfare comes for Medicaid

February 5, 2018 health, health care, Health Care Reform, medicaid, News

Thomas Penister was uninsured for years after serving time in prison. In 2015, he applied for Medicaid coverage to see a primary care doctor as his mental health problems became debilitating. He was relieved to finally discover what was wrong: his doctor diagnosed him with post-traumatic stress disorder, attention-deficit disorder, severe sleep apnea (a common nighttime breathing disorder), and anxiety.

Continued treatment of these illnesses allowed him to get his life back, he said...

U.S. Pays Billions for ‘Assisted Living,’ but What Does It Get?

February 3, 2018 Health Insurance and Managed Care, medicaid, News

Federal investigators say they have found huge gaps in the regulation of assisted living facilities that take care of Medicaid beneficiaries.

More infants are dying in US states that rejected expanded Medicaid

February 1, 2018 "America First", ACA, Donald Trump, health care, medicaid, Medicare, News, obamacare, repeal and replace, Research

Quartz

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First lawsuit filed against Kentucky’s Medicaid work rules. The health care of thousands is at risk.

January 24, 2018 health, health care, medicaid, News

Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin (R) upended the state’s Medicaid program two weeks ago by imposing work requirements, premiums, and other administrative changes on some enrollees. Changes to the half-century program will move 95,000 people off Medicaid coverage, state officials said. Advocates warned early on there would be lawsuits, and on Wednesday, the first one came.

The Southern Poverty Law Center, National Health Law Program, and Kentucky Equal Justice Center filed the class ac...

Here’s how Texas is using Medicaid to defund Planned Parenthood

January 24, 2018 medicaid, News, planned-parenthood, reproductive-rights

Republicans in Congress weren’t able to “defund” Planned Parenthood last year, but some remain hopeful that they can in 2018.

While eyes fixate on Congress, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) — an agency packed with anti-abortion sympathizers — signaled it would approve efforts to withhold federal dollars to Planned Parenthood if states asked. Texas has already sought federal permission to do so and the green light could come any day now.

In June 2...

DREAMers in New York will continue to be eligible for Medicaid, even if DACA expires

January 23, 2018 health, medicaid, News, politics

New York recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program will continue to be eligible for state-funded Medicaid — regardless if DACA is terminated.

“Information you give us will not be shared,” according to the website of the state’s health insurance marketplace NY State of Health. A common fear among undocumented immigrants is that their information could be shared with the Trump administration if they seek health insurance.

La...