Judge OKs Florida’s Ban On Medicaid Coverage For Gender Care
A preliminary injunction had been sought by transgender people in Florida impacted by the state's ban on funding for gender-affirming care for all ages. It was denied. Medicaid loophole problems in Texas, approval for Medicaid expansion in South Dakota, and more are also in the news.
U.S. District Judge Robert Hinkle on Wednesday upheld Florida鈥檚 rule preventing Medicaid coverage of gender-affirming care for patients of all ages, denying the preliminary injunction sought by the transgender people affected by the policy. (Rummler, 10/12)
Texans receiving Medicaid waiver program services must have their budgets renewed each year by the state. Texas law says that even if an individual's care plan expires before HHSC authorizes the renewal, they must continue to receive services 鈥渢o ensure continuity of care and prevent the individual's health and welfare from being jeopardized.鈥澛(Stuckey, 10/12)
Roughly half 鈥 54 percent 鈥 of registered voters in South Dakota support Medicaid expansion less than a month before the public decides the midterm referendum, according to final results from the SDSU Poll. (Santhanam, 10/13)
In Medicare news 鈥
Three disabled Medicare beneficiaries and two organizations are suing Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, alleging he restricted the availability of home health services for individuals who need aides for short periods of time. (Dreher, 10/12)
Medicare open enrollment starts soon, but 7 in 10 Medicare beneficiaries say they don鈥檛 compare Medicare plans during this period, according to a 2021 analysis by 麻豆女优, a health policy nonprofit. That鈥檚 not great, since Medicare Advantage plans 鈥 which operate much like the private insurance you may have had through an employer 鈥 change from year to year. One of your doctors may have fallen out of network or your prescription drug prices may have gone up. And people with Original Medicare should compare their Part D prescription drug coverage. Here鈥檚 how to approach switching Medicare plans. (Ashford, 10/12)
Employers want alternative ways to provide medical benefits to their retirees over the next three years, with some looking to replace their traditional group plans for pre-Medicare and Medicare-eligible retirees with individual insurance coverage through private marketplaces, according to a survey by Willis Towers Watson. (Diamond, 10/12)
