Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Banned Medicaid Providers Still Participate In Some State Programs, Report Finds
Some healthcare providers dropped by state Medicaid programs because of fraud or quality problems were still participating in other states’ programs, contrary to requirements in ObamaCare, according to an inspector general report. The Affordable Care Act requires that a state terminate a healthcare provider from Medicaid, the government health insurance program for the low income, if it is dropped for reasons like fraud or quality problems from a different state’s program. (Sullivan, 8/5)
Hundreds of medical providers banned from a Medicaid program in one state are able to take part in another state's program despite regulations designed to stop them, according to a report by an independent federal auditor to be released on Wednesday. The continued participation of banned providers leaves state Medicaid programs for the poor and disabled vulnerable to fraud, waste and abuse, according to the study, which says the problem reflects a struggle by states to communicate with one another. (Pell and Cooke, 8/5)
About 12% of providers kicked out of their state Medicaid programs for fraud, integrity or quality issues are still participating in other states' Medicaid programs, according to a report released Tuesday by HHS' Office of Inspector General. According to the report, 295 providers across the country who were terminated from their states' Medicaid programs for cause in 2011 were still billing other states' Medicaid programs in 2014. Under the Affordable Care Act, states are supposed to pull providers' from their Medicaid rolls if they've already been removed from another state's program for fraud, integrity or quality problems. (Schencker, 8/5)