Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Wisconsin Rejects $360M In Federal Health Law Money
With its new two-year budget in place, Wisconsin now has passed up more than $550 million in federal money available under the Affordable Care Act. The state previously rejected roughly $200 million in federal money available starting in January 2014, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau. The new budget turned away another $360 million — far more than the $250 million in cuts the same budget made to the University of Wisconsin System. (Boulton, 8/1)
In other health law implementation news, Arizona's governor has asked federal officials to approve changes to the state's Medicaid plan that would require co-pays, or other financial contributions, of some adult beneficiaries; and New York announces that 2.1 million are enrolled on its exchange while Colorado says that only 6.4 percent of residents are uninsured -
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey plans to ask the federal government to approve major changes to the state's Medicaid insurance plan that are designed to encourage recipients to work, better utilize services and possibly cut state costs. The plan would apply only to able-bodied adults, about a quarter of the state's 1.7 million Medicaid recipients, and won't affect children, the elderly or disabled. (Christie, 8/2)
New York's health exchange reports connecting 2.1 million residents to health coverage following its second open enrollment period, including 89 percent who said they were uninsured when they applied. Exchange Executive Director Donna Frescatore says the second year's enrollment built on the first year's base. Totals include 415,352 enrollees through commercial plans, 159,716 in the state's Child Health Plus program and 1,568,345 in government-funded Medicaid. (8/2)
When it comes to covering the uninsured since implementation of the Affordable Care Act, Colorado has the sixth-best record among U.S. states, according to an analysis from 24/7 Wall Street. The investment news and commentary site estimates that 14.7 percent of Colorado residents lacked health insurance in 2012, before the act took effect. As of March, it estimates only 6.4 percent of state residents still lacked coverage. (Svaldi, 7/31)
