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Sponsors of legislation to access federal Medicaid expansion dollars to purchase private health care insurance for the working poor said Tuesday they have devised a plan that would have no impact on the state tax-supported general fund. The proposal would require small premium contributions from most enrollees and some co-pays while pointing recipients to employment, education and skills training programs. The state would turn to its health care cash fund as "a backup" for financing the plan, which would extend health care insurance coverage to 77,000 Nebraskans, 72 percent of whom are employed in low-wage jobs. (Walton, 1/19)

Lawmakers unveiled a new plan Tuesday to cover the so-called Medicaid gap population in Nebraska while opponents made clear that the proposal faces a steep uphill slog. Supporters hailed the latest bill as a bipartisan, business-friendly approach to cover an estimated 77,000 childless, low-income adults. Three previous attempts to expand Medicaid coverage under the federal health care law have failed because of conservative opposition. (Schulte, 1/19)

Iowa’s long-term care ombudsman delivered an unflinching message to lawmakers Tuesday: Provide proper oversight for a plan to privatize Medicaid or face the fraud and mismanagement fate that has dogged other states. (Clayworth, 1/19)