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Gov. Gavin Newsom’s administration is asking for an extra $2.8 billion immediately for the state’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, on top of a recently proposed $3.44 billion loan. New budget figures laid out to state lawmakers on Monday showed the state will need to allocate additional funds from the general fund to fully cover Medi-Cal bills through the end of the year, after the loan proposed by the administration last week. (Bluth, 3/17)

County-owned hospitals in Indiana have diverted away more than $2.5 billion in Medicaid money intended to provide care at nursing homes, leaving sick and elderly residents to languish in some of the most poorly staffed facilities in America, according to new financial data obtained by IndyStar. The data, acquired in part through a public records lawsuit, reveals the fullest picture yet of a secretive financing scheme that Indiana relies on to prop up its public hospitals, but that critics say enriches health care providers at the expense of vulnerable nursing home patients. (Cook, 3/18)

Southwest Memorial Hospital in Cortez, Colorado, received more than 59,000 patient visits last year. That’s enough to treat everyone in Cortez and surrounding Montezuma County twice. Staff call the small hospital a bedrock of both medical care and the local economy. But warnings that the Republican-controlled federal government might cut Medicaid funding have community members worried about the facility’s future.  (Melotte and Newman, 3/17)

The potential implementation of federal Medicaid work requirements poses a serious threat to healthcare access for millions of Americans. An analysis published March 17 by the Urban Institute and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation warns that up to 5 million adults could lose their Medicaid coverage by 2026 — not because they fail to meet work criteria, but due to bureaucratic hurdles and reporting challenges. (Condon, 3/17)

Better Medicare Alliance continued its pressure on the Trump administration to protect Medicare Advantage, releasing a third ad Monday in its campaign targeting the Washington, D.C., area. The advocacy group's 30-second spot, part of a seven-figure campaign, features testimonials from seniors about their reliance on Medicare Advantage. It will run on connected TV, online news sites, social media platforms and podcasts. The alliance is a coalition of insurers, providers, patient advocates and business groups. (DeSilva, 3/17)

Post-acute providers are eager to show hospitals how they can help with a Medicare payment demonstration model that goes into effect early next year. Compassus, Elara Caring, ArchCare and other post-acute providers said careful coordination of patient care from the hospital through the post-acute system is essential for hospitals to succeed in the Transforming Episode Accountability Model, or TEAM. (Eastabrook, 3/17)

�鶹Ů�� Health News: Congressman Blames Trump Team For Ending Telehealth Medicare Benefit. Not Quite Right

Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) posted a Tiktok video on Feb. 20 saying he had “breaking news” about the fate of Medicare coverage for telehealth visits, which allow patients to see health care providers remotely from their homes. “Breaking news: The Trump administration just announced that Medicare will stop covering telehealth starting April 1,” Khanna said. “We need to stand up to these Medicare cuts.” (Redfearn, 3/17)