Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Health Law Critics Say States Are Not Rechecking Eligibility Of New Medicaid Recipients
States are wasting millions of taxpayer dollars under ObamaCare's massive Medicaid expansion by failing to regularly check the eligibility of program recipients, critics charge. (Singman, 5/5)
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, millions more Americans now have insurance that will cover addiction treatment, with spending on addiction treatment expected to almost double by 2020. But a new report in the journal Health Affairs finds that despite newfound access, many facilities lack the capacity to take on new clients. Even with expanded access, University of South Carolina鈥檚 Christina Andrews says that coverage alone isn't getting many new patients in the door. (Gorenstein, 5/5)
Senate Democrats are urging the Department of Health and Human Services to take action against health insurance companies that are ignoring an ObamaCare provision that guarantees free or low-cost birth control, which they call a "troubling nationwide trend." A group of 38 Democrats sent a letter to HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell on Tuesday raising alarms that some insurance companies and pharmacies are making it difficult for women to access contraception. (Ferris, 5/5)
Over 500 organizations are calling on Congress to repeal a Medicare cost-cutting board that is part of ObamaCare. At issue is the Independent Payment Advisory Board (IPAB), charged with coming up with ways to cut Medicare spending if it rises above a certain threshold. ... The 500 groups (which include multiple chapters of the same organization), are largely healthcare providers, and are worried about cuts in payments under the board. (Sullivan, 5/5)
And in state news -
More than 1,400 people signed up for health care coverage through the state鈥檚 health insurance exchange last month during a special enrollment period for those who paid a penalty on their taxes for not having coverage last year. (Levin Becker, 5/5)
MNsure will soon have its third chief executive in less than two years. Scott Leitz will resign at the end of the month as CEO of Minnesota's health insurance exchange. (5/5)
