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A proposal to allow prior authorizations for Medicaid reimbursements on mental health drugs passed its final legislative hurdle Friday. Until [Gov.] Brownback signs the measure, state law will continue to prohibit any regulation of mental health drugs under Medicaid. Mental health advocates argued against a bill to repeal that statute, saying it was necessary to ensure there were no delays in getting effective drugs into the hands of people with severe and persistent mental illnesses who could be a danger to themselves or others without the drugs. (Marso, 5/8)

After dental benefits were removed from California's public health insurance for the poor, emergency room visits for dental problems went up, a new study shows. Removing comprehensive dental benefits from the state's Medicaid program in 2009 led to nearly 1,800 additional ER visits per year for dental problems, the researchers estimate. (Seaman, 5/8)