Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Alabama Governor, A Long-Time Critic Of Gambling, Seeks A Lottery To Fund Medicaid
Gov. Robert Bentley's support of a referendum on a state lottery comes six years after he criticized gambling as a detriment to society. ... Asked about his past remarks, Bentley says he weighed what would be best. The governor says a lottery was the only option left for funding Medicaid, a healthcare program for the poor after the state tried cutting costs, borrowing money and raising taxes. (Bates, 8/1)
Deep new cuts to Alabama’s Medicaid system begin Monday, due to the budget set to take effect October 1. Doctor reimbursements are now less for the Medicaid patients they serve. The change has some doctors warning they may move out of state or cut other services to make up the cost. Governor Robert Bentley is calling lawmakers back to Montgomery August 15 to tackle the budget problems. Bentley is pushing for a statewide lottery. He sat down with ABC 33/40 to discuss his plan. (Walsh, 8/1)
Cuts to Alabama’s Medicaid agency start today, meaning doctors will no longer get enhanced payments for certain services. Checkups and exams are just part of a daily routine for pediatrician Dr. Ken Elmer. About half of those check-up are on Medicaid patients, a practice that could soon be changing because of Medicaid cuts. “We're just kind of hanging on and hoping that something will happen and that the Legislature will fund it and fund it fully, not just this sort of every year stop-gap,” he said. (Powell, 8/1)
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services delayed the start of new managed Medicaid contracts to April 1 from Jan. 1, after Aetna won a preliminary injunction that blocked the state from continuing the process of implementing new contracts. Aetna, which had 201,196 Pennsylvanians in its Medicaid managed care plans in March, objected to the state's use of undisclosed factors in its its decision-making. (Brubaker, 8/1)
New Hampshire is looking for someone to take charge of its $1.4 billion Medicaid budget at a time of big changes in the federally subsidized health insurance program for low-income individuals and families. Katie Dunn, who served as Medicaid director for more than 10 years, and prior to that as director of public health, has accepted a position as a senior policy advisor to a national health policy organization, according to NH Department of Health and Human Services Commissioner Jeffrey Meyers. (Solomon, 8/1)
