Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Montana Officials Say 47,400 Residents Sign Up For Medicaid Expansion
Montana鈥檚 Medicaid expansion is covering 47,400 low-income people so far this year and has paid for $75 million in care, with federal money, Bullock administration officials told an oversight panel Wednesday. Jessica Rhoades, policy director for the state Department of Public Health and Human Services, said as of May, the program has paid for 11,000 preventive dental exams, 2,600 wellness exams, 3,600 cholesterol screenings and 1,300 vaccinations. (Dennison, 7/13)
Montana鈥檚 Medicaid expansion also requires recipients with incomes greater than 100 percent of the federal poverty level to pay premiums, averaging $26 a month. Officials say 379 Montanans have been dis-enrolled from Medicaid for failing to pay. The state has collected $1.1 million in Medicaid premiums so far. And the state has saved more than $5 million by shifting some people who previously received Medicaid into the expansion population, and receiving federal reimbursement for them. (Whitney, 7/13)
Democratic gubernatorial nominee Roy Cooper unveiled his 鈥渏obs plan鈥 on Wednesday, promising that if elected, he鈥檒l expand Medicaid and broadband access, cut taxes for the middle class, pass a transportation bond and repeal the law on discrimination known as House Bill 2. ... Supporters say expanding Medicaid to cover hundreds of thousands of uninsured working people would generate health-care jobs and revitalize rural hospitals by leveraging a relatively small amount of state money. The Republican-led General Assembly voted in early 2013 to prevent any such expansion without its approval. (7/13)
In other Medicaid news 鈥
The afternoon of June 30, Jeremy Ricky was shutting down his Boise transportation company. As the 14 full-time drivers at Trinity Transport parked their vehicles for the last time, Ricky said a change in a state contract had slashed payments to his business, forcing it to close. He worried the contract also will cause missed therapy or medical appointments for Idaho鈥檚 most vulnerable residents. The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare chose a new contractor to arrange transportation for Medicaid patients to go to health care-related appointments. After evaluating bids from five companies, the state hired Veyo, a San Diego startup that uses Uber-like technology in urban areas to move patients in a way it says is more efficient and less costly. (Dutton, 7/13)
