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In Kansas, the state’s Medicaid program tells doctors which medications they can prescribe for heart disease, diabetes, asthma or cancer. It’s been that way for as long as most policymakers can remember. Mental health drugs are different. Since 2002, state law has allowed Medicaid patients access to whatever behavioral health drugs their physician or psychiatrist sees fit to prescribe. Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration wants to change that. (Ranney, 2/10)

A bipartisan proposal to allow some dental hygienists to perform certain procedures now done only by dentists drew opposition Tuesday from groups that represent and regulate dentistry in North Dakota, while supporters said the goal was to improve access to dental care statewide. Bismarck Republican Sen. Dick Dever, the measure's primary sponsor, told the state Senate Human Services Committee that 40 percent of North Dakota counties have either one dentist, or none at all, hampering access to routine oral health care for thousands of residents. (MacPherson, 2/10)

Los Angeles County officials cut back Tuesday on contracts to provide medical care to AIDS and HIV patients, citing increased numbers of people now insured under the federal government's overhaul of healthcare. The move to cut $4 million from the contracts, paid for with federal money, marked the latest clash between the county and the nonprofit AIDS Healthcare Foundation, one of the largest providers of medical services to HIV patients in the region. (Sewell, 2/10)

Parents of epileptic children gathered in the gallery of Virginia’s law-and-order House of Delegates on Tuesday, almost afraid to look as their long-shot medical marijuana bill came up for a vote. (Vozzella, 2/10)

Following federal requirements, Connecticut’s Medicaid program is expanding coverage of services for young people with autism spectrum disorders. But advocates say the proposed rules for that coverage contain so many potential barriers that many children would be unlikely to get treatment. (Levin Becker, 2/11)

Three years ago, when the Texas Health and Human Services Commission wanted software that investigators in its Office of Inspector General could use to track down Medicaid fraud, it asked the federal government to foot most of the $20 million bill. In its request, the agency assured its Washington counterparts — in writing — that the contract had been competitively bid out. That was not true. (Langford, 2/10)

In the midst of jury selection for the trial of James Holmes, the alleged perpetrator of the July 2012 Aurora theatre shootings that left 12 people dead and 70 injured, I see one bright spot in a process that will otherwise force us to relive unspeakable tragedy. We set people with mental illness up for complete and utter failure. It's simply untrue to say that we as a society provide any meaningful support to children and adults battling mental health demons. (Messenbaugh, 2/10)

A home-healthcare company has agreed to pay $5.6 million to settle allegations that it submitted false bills to Iowa's Medicaid program and to the federal Medicare program. Federal prosecutors said ResCare violated a Medicaid and Medicare rule that an independent physician must verify in a "face-to-face" assessment that a person needs in-home care. (Leys, 2/10)

Carolinas HealthCare System has until Feb. 28 to come to a contractual agreement with insurance provider United HealthCare. If no agreement is reached, the hospitals in Shelby and Kings Mountain will no longer be in network and United HealthCare members could pay more out-of-pocket costs. (Bridges, 2/10)