Obama Proposes Medicaid and Medicare Cuts

Last week President Barack Obama proposed to cut $313 billion from Medicaid and Medicare over the next 10 years as part of so-called health reform, in addition to the $635 billion in cuts in his FY 2010 budget. (Source) The president proposes to expand coverage to “millions” who don’t have it, while bringing down the [...]

Texas Senate Approves SCHIP Boost

The Houston Chronicle reports that the Texas Senate approved a bill to increase enrollment in the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) last week. The bill would raise the income eligibility limits from $44,000 to $66,000 for a family of four. An additional 80,000 uninsured children would be covered if the House approves the bill [...]

State Medicaid News Round-Up

Lawmakers in Texas are trying to extend the State Children’s Insurance Program from six months of coverage to 12 months before the legislature ends session on June 1. Democratic representative Sylvester Turner said, “The bottom line is if this bill were to be passed and signed by the governor, approximately 250,000 more kids would have [...]

“Compassionate” Bureaucratism

If you have ever had the notion that regulators care about your residents, consumers and/or patients, look at this for a reality check. (AP) – A New York City doctor’s flat-fee, $79-a-month medical practice has run afoul of state insurance regulators who have told him to shut it down. Dr. John Muney said Wednesday he’s [...]

Funding Troubles for Texas Nursing Homes

The Houston Chronicle published a story last Sunday on funding problems in Texas nursing homes. It seems that Medicaid payments have not kept up with increasing health care costs. Reimbursements are too low for some providers to stay in business. Sixty nursing homes have shut their doors in the past three years. Texas Health and [...]

Obama Reverses Bush’s SCHIP Policy

Last week, President Barack Obama issued a memorandum lifting President George Bush’s directives on limiting expansion of the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP), potentially adding up to four million children. (Source) Obama also signed a bill into law reflecting these changes. The new law reauthorizes and expands SCHIP, offers dental care to children who [...]

Medicaid and Protection of Spouse’s Income and Assets

Late last month, there was a disturbing article in The New York Times regarding Medicaid and the protection of a spouse’s income and assets when the Medicaid beneficiary lives at home rather than in a nursing home. According to the article, one state Health Department spokesman said the following: “They’re saying if you put your [...]

Medicaid Enrollment Climbs During Recession

As expected, Medicaid enrollment grew by 5-10 percent in several states in the past year because of the recession. (Kaiser Network) Sixteen of the 40 states that responded to a New York Times survey reported at least a 5 percent increase in Medicaid enrollment in the past year. States also reported an increase in State [...]

SCHIP Bill Would Bar New Physician-Owned Hospitals

Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The measure, which passed by a vote of 289 to 139, would expand coverage for children from families with incomes of up to three times the federal poverty. Such an expansion would cover [...]

Congress Reauthorizes and Expands SCHIP

Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bill that would reauthorize and expand the State Children’s Health Insurance Program (SCHIP). The Kaiser Network reports that the measure passed by a vote of 289 to 139. Children from families with incomes of up to three times the federal poverty level would qualify for [...]

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