Category: CMS
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Research roundup: Medicaid peer support; doctor Jokes; ACA’s asset rules for coverage
Since 2009, the eight states (Alabama, Illinois, Louisiana, Massachusetts, New York, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin) participating in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Maximizing Enrollment program have worked to streamline and simplify enrollment systems, policies, and processes for children and those eligible for coverage in 2014. … States [focused] on five key areas: 1) applications, 2)…
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Utah Gov. rejects full Medicaid expansion, opts instead for a ‘private’ approach
Utah Gov. Gary Herbert unveiled a proposal that would use federal money to help qualifying state residents buy private health insurance and would, he said, keep the state in control of the program. In Virginia, the political back-and-forth over expanding the program continues. …read more
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Maryland exchange can’t tell whether Medicaid enrollees are still eligible
The state is unable to determine whether current enrollees continue to qualify for the state-federal program for the poor as a result of a glitch which officials estimate could cost $30.5 million over two years. …read more
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Medicaid expansion continues to trigger state House debate, strong opinions
In states such as Virginia, Maine and Utah, lawmakers hold entrenched positions about whether to pursue this provision of the health law. …read more
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Millions of mentally ill will lack coverage in states not expanding Medicaid, report finds
The Washington Post takes a look at the report by a group representing mental health professionals, and also how the issue is playing out in the Virginia legislature, where there is strong support to reform the state’s mental health care system following the death of a state lawmaker’s son. …read more
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Medicare Part D cost-saving plan draws opposition on several fronts
Among other things, the proposal would limit the types of antidepressants — and other kinds of drugs — that are available to Medicare beneficiaries. Drug industry and insurer groups are lining up against the change. …read more
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CMS to offer more flexibility with Meaningful Use Stage 2 hardship exemptions
Meaningful Use Stage 2 will go on as planned with no further extensions, but Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced that the agency would be more flexible about providing hardship exemptions for providers and vendors truly struggling to meet the incentive program’s requirements. read more …read more
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UPDATED: CMS to be more flexible with Meaningful Use Stage 2 hardship exemptions
Meaningful Use Stage 2 will go on as planned with no further delays or extensions, but Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Marilyn Tavenner announced Thursday at HIMSS14 in Orlando, Fla., that the agency would be flexible about providing “hardship exemptions” for providers and vendors truly struggling to meet the requirements. read more …read…
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Weighing Medicare claims and health law ‘job killer’ accusations
We have delved into this issue before and find the certainty with which both sides hold their positions to be dismaying. Each side can point to data to make their case, even though the law has only begun to be implemented (Kessler, 2/26). …read more
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Medicare official defends proposed changes to prescription drug program
In written testimony, Jonathan Blum, deputy administrator of the Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, says the changes are needed to head off cost increases, but an industry-sponsored study argues some of the changes could cost taxpayers more. …read more