Â鶹ŮÓÅ

Amid statewide concern about the ballooning costs of Medicaid, state Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Elizabeth Dudek said Wednesday she had ordered audits for 31 hospitals that may be receiving more in Medicaid payments than is legally allowed. ... The move comes as the private health plans that serve Florida’s Medicaid population seek a 12 percent increase in rates. The plans say the boost is necessary to help offset prescription drug prices. But last month, Dudek said some insurers had been paying hospitals more than is allowed under state law, and asked all hospitals to certify that they were in compliance by Aug. 1. Those that failed to meet the deadline are now being audited, she said. (McGrory, 8/12)

Federal auditors recommended that Connecticut refund nearly $1 million in Medicaid payments they say were improperly billed to the federal government, and repay another $23 million unless the state can show those payments were allowable. In response, the state Department of Social Services agreed to repay $957,943 to the federal government. But Social Services Commissioner Roderick L. Bremby told federal officials that the state doesn't believe it should refund the $23 million. (Levin Becker, 8/12)

Missouri’s state House leader has assembled a panel to review how to provide Medicaid health care. Republican Speaker Todd Richardson appointed lawmakers, providers and consumer group members to the task force Wednesday. An earlier message from Richardson described a task force for expanding Medicaid. A release from the speaker’s office later corrected that. (8/12)

Federal authorities say Oswego Hospital [in New York] will pay more than $1.4 million to resolve claims of improper billing that the upstate facility found and disclosed to the government. The 164-bed hospital identified Medicaid claims paid by the federal and state program without supporting documentation from the facility's Behavioral Health Services Department. (8/13)

Governor Sam Brownback’s decision to divert federal funding away from a health insurance program is drawing sharp criticism from children’s advocates. Shannon Cotsoradis, president of the nonprofit advocacy organization Kansas Action for Children, said the governor is shortchanging Kansas families who depend on the Children’s Health Insurance Program. (McLean, 8/12)