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In an effort to improve care and lower costs, Ohio's Medicaid program will begin paying more to primary care doctors who recommend preventative services, coordinate physical and mental health care, offer extended hours and provide other supports shown to improve the health of their patients. The idea is to "reward value rather than volume," said Greg Moody, director of the Governor's Office of Health Transformation. (Candisky, 8/2)

In his mid-30s, Jonathan Hensley was unemployed and caring for some disabled family members. He needed to take care of himself, too, because his teeth hurt. Historically in Kentucky, someone like Hensley — a single, able-bodied adult with no job — would likely not have had health insurance. But because the state expanded its Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act in 2013, Hensley and some 400,000 other Kentuckians got taxpayer-funded medical, dental and vision coverage. ... That routine dental coverage is now at risk, as Gov. Matt Bevin seeks to overhaul the state's Medicaid system. (Beam, 8/2)

[Kentucky] Gov. Matt Bevin is delaying submitting changes to the state’s Medicaid program, which were initially due to the federal government on Monday. Adam Meier, Bevin’s deputy chief of staff for policy, said the extension is due to the large number of comments the state received regarding the proposal. (Gillespie, 8/2)

The CMS has a denied a request from Indiana to lock people out of Medicaid coverage for six months if they fail to complete a renewal process. In April, the state requested federal approval to lock out beneficiaries who fail to complete the renewal process in a timely manner. The measure would impact people above and below poverty and is meant to ensure enrollees would return required documents by the state-determined deadline. (Dickson, 8/2)

After a strong push from Connecticut’s health insurance exchange, about 5,600 low-income parents and caregivers transitioned to new health coverage through the state exchange before losing their state-sponsored Medicaid at the end of July. However, this means that 8,224 others who lost coverage either enrolled in a new plan independent of the exchange or, more likely, did not find new coverage at all by Aug. 1. About 14,000 parents and caregivers on HUSKY A – the state-sponsored Medicaid program for low-income parents, caregivers and children – lost their coverage on July 31 after legislators made eligibility requirements more stringent in 2015. (Constable, 8/2)

The state Department of Health and Human Services did not provide proper oversight of payments related to Medicaid durable medical equipment claims, according to a State Auditor’s report. The equipment includes wheelchairs, hospital beds and oxygen tanks. (Craver, 8/3)