This message was sent to ##Email##. To advertise in this publication please click here

Sept. 22, 2020

TOP NEWS

Without guarantee of additional COVID-19 aid, state Medicaid directors warn of painful cuts ahead Morning Consult As the prospect of Congress passing additional COVID-19 aid for state Medicaid programs this fall dims, some states are already facing deep cuts that could have painful ripple effects for patients and providers alike. Cuts to Medicaid, the safety net health insurance program that covers 1 in 5 Americans, could be disastrous during a health and economic crisis like the coronavirus pandemic, state and health care leaders have warned, given Medicaid enrollment rises during economic downturns, just as state revenues fall and budgets constrict. This spring, Congress increased federal matching funds for Medicaid by 6.2 percentage points to help stabilize the program during the pandemic, but states have asked for a bump to at least 12 percentage points to the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage. READ MORE

CMS 'actively addressing' block grant proposal in Tennessee Nashville Post The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services is "actively addressing" the proposal from Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee's administration that would convert funding for the state's Medicaid program into a modified block grant structure, administrator Seema Verma said on Friday. READ MORE

SPONSORED VIDEO Comprehensive Solutions for All Administrative Needs Highly configurable and scalable across all lines of business, VBA provides one common architecture for all healthcare administration needs through a comprehensive suite of solutions, including end-to-end functionality for benefit administration, user engagement, business insight and more. Watch our video to learn how! Interested in learning more about our solutions? Contact us to schedule a demo at vbasales@vbasoftware.com or visit vbasoftware.com. WATCH VIDEO

Report: Roughly 5 in 8 Montana businesses had workers enrolled in Medicaid expansion last year Montana Public Radio A new report released Tuesday says around 60% of Montana businesses last year had at least one worker enrolled in Medicaid expansion. Enrollment in the health care program for low income adults has been on the rise for the last four months. At a meeting in Bozeman, Barbara Wagner, chief economist of the Montana Department of Labor & Industry, said nearly 20% of the state's entire workforce was enrolled in Medicaid at one point or another last year. READ MORE

SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by HMS • Addressing the Opioid Epidemic Amid a Viral Pandemic • [White Paper] Health Engagement Best Practices for Targeted COVID-19 Communications • Influencing Behavior of Vaccine-Hesitant Cohorts • How Do We Stop Fear from Becoming Another Fatal Symptom of COVID-19? • Housing Instability: The Impact on Young People’s Health Can Last a Lifetime

Governor still concerned by rise in Kansas numbers, pushes Medicaid expansion KWCH-TV Gov. Laura Kelly said on Monday she is concerned by the constant rise in COVID-19 cases in Kansas. As of Monday, the state reported 1,674 new cases and four new deaths. The governor said the virus continues to spread at an alarming rate due to the flu season, schools and businesses reopening, sports, and more severe symptoms in people with pre-existing conditions. The governor said Kansans should continue to maintain social distance, avoid large gatherings and wear a mask. READ MORE

PRODUCT SHOWCASE SSI Disability Benefits for Medicaid Members Steady income for your members - direct impact on SDoH Millions of dollars for your health plan's bottom line LEARN MORE

Kansas governor on Medicaid expansion: 'We have become an island in the Midwest' KSHB-TV Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly expressed her frustration for the state's lack of expanded medicaid services, saying "we have become an island in the Midwest," in a press briefing Monday afternoon. She also said House Bill 2016, which was passed in June as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, has not been a sufficient strategy to combat the virus. READ MORE

SPONSORED CONTENT Promoted by VSP Vision Care • Licensed Medicaid Network in 50 States, State-Defined or Enhanced Vision Benefits Support • Infographic: Discover 5 Ways to Save • Improve HEDIS Scores and Members’ Health with a Total Wellness Solution from VSP Healthy Innovations • State and CMS-Defined Reporting Support with Experience Managing Vision Services for 8.6M Medicaid Members • Smarter Vision Care for Health Plans – Let Us Help Manage Your Vision Services

Medicaid expansion associated with more thyroid cancer diagnoses Diagnostic Imaging States that have expanded their Medicaid coverage also saw an uptick in the number of thyroid cancer diagnoses both for Medicaid recipients and the state's overall population. Results of this study, published in the Sept. 16 JAMA Surgery, show that thyroid cancer joins the long list of other cancers affected by Medicaid expansion. Broadening the government program has already been associated with increased and earlier detection of breast, colorectal, lung and cervical cancers. READ MORE

Florida: New law will shrink Medicaid waiting list WFOR-TV Nearly 60,000 poor, disabled and elderly residents are on a waiting list for placement in Florida's Medicaid managed long-term care program. But the number of people on the list will be drastically reduced in the coming months. The Legislature this year passed a law to ensure that the list only includes the names of residents who are most at risk of nursing-home placement and that people with "low priority" scores will not go on the list. READ MORE

SPONSORED SPOTLIGHT

Medicaid optional benefits on chopping block in HCA's budget proposal State of Reform The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) this week submitted its 2021-23 operating budget proposal to the Office of Financial Management (OFM), outlining budget priorities and potential cuts to the agency. In response to the economic downturn brought on by COVID-19, OFM in May directed state agencies to identify options for reducing their general fund spending by 15% for FY21 appropriations. OFM also directed agencies to be prepared to propose spending reductions in their 2021-23 budget proposals. READ MORE

PRODUCT SHOWCASE Fully Integrated EVV for MCOs! FOCOS Innovations offers a fully integrated service management solution complete with an EVV mobile app. Our software is tailored to meet the needs of Managed Care Organizations. Seamlessly extend FOCOSconnect access to all your provider agencies in a single platform! Learn how FOCOSconnect EVV software can help you! LEARN MORE

The government will not lose Medicaid funds El Nuevo Dia Washington Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González said that the government of Puerto Rico will not lose the $1.054 billion in Medicaid funds allocated to the island for this fiscal year, and added that she has been holding conversations aimed at using these funds in other initiatives. She said this money could be used, for example, to buy insulin and glucometers or to pay for patient transportation services and non-covered vaccines. READ MORE

PRODUCT SHOWCASE COVID-19 Strategic Communications Tool Kit mPulse Mobile has sent over 22 million CV19-related messages and counting across SMS, email, IVR and mobile web. See our full suite of CV19 programs and resources to help you effectively connect your population to services, information, and updates during this crisis. Access the tool kit LEARN MORE

California hospital may end Medicaid agreement with Anthem Becker's Hospital Review Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California, may no longer be in network with Anthem Blue Cross' managed Medicaid plan if an agreement on reimbursement rates isn't reached, according to the Enterprise-Record. Without an agreement, the organization's current contract is set to expire Oct. 31. Mike Wiltermood, president and CEO of Enloe Medical Center, told the Enterprise-Record that Anthem's current reimbursement rates don't cover the cost of care, and the hospital is seeking rates that look more like what commercial insurers pay. READ MORE

The future of Obamacare is at risk again; here's what's at stake KESQ-TV The future of the Affordable Care Act is once again in jeopardy with the passing of liberal icon Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. President Donald Trump now has a better chance of fulfilling his longstanding promise to kill the landmark health reform law, but in the courtroom instead of Congress. READ MORE

MHPA's Industry NewsBrief   Connect with MHPA Dennis Hall, Director of Publishing, 469-420-2656 | Download media kit Damon Sayles, Sr. Content Editor, MultiView, 469-420-2662 | Contribute news Medicaid Health Plans of America 1575 Eye Street NW, Suite 300 | Washington, DC 20005 | 202-857-5720 | Contact Us Click here to unsubscribe. Learn how to add us to your safe sender list so our emails get to your inbox. ADVERTISE SUBSCRIBE PAST ISSUES 7701 Las Colinas Ridge, Ste. 800, Irving, TX, 75063