Healthcare Reform Passes: 16 Million New Members Added to Medicaid - How is Your Team Getting Ready?

Healthcare Reform Passes: 16 Million New Members Added to Medicaid -

Is Your Organization’s Medicaid Marketing Plan Ready for the Jump in Enrollment?

Register Now for The 18th Annual Medicaid Managed Care Congress –
YOUR event for the latest in the evolving changes under healthcare reform and
best practices in managed Medicaid healthcare delivery and access.

Pre-Conference Workshop Spotlight:

Medicaid Marketing for Improved Enrollment & Retention Under Reform

Through case studies and interactive discussions, this workshop provides you with a robust and focused toolkit to target new enrollment, expand retention, and guarantee Medicaid marketing compliance.

Workshop Leaders:
Robert Robidou, Director, Network Development, Cook Children’s Health Plan
Carla Bettano, Vice President, Business Development, Neighborhood Health Plan

Additional Workshops:

Tap into the Latest Health Literacy Advances for Improved Disease Management - click here

Medicaid Managed Care 201 - click here

Don’t miss out on the opportunity to achieve quality, manage cost, and prepare for the latest policy changes.

Click here for maximum cost savings if you register by this Friday, March 26!

Insurance companies bracing for change in healthcare reimbursement

At Modern Healthcare, they look at how new legislation implementing universal healthcare will affect how insurance companies are going to be affected when the new plan roles out, which many believe could be as soon as 2011. In addition to the abundance of regulations that are sure to follow, insurance companies will have to change the way they evaluate hospitals. They could begin paying for care based on performance and begin listening to independent patient advisory boards. They could also change they way they reimburse hospitals when it comes to re admissions for certain ailments. Read the full article here.

Health care premiums on the increase

In the Business section of the New York Times, they look at how health care premiums are on the rise, and will continue to grow at steep throughout the next few years. According to the blog, the annual cost of a family policy is $13,375. This has doubled in the past decade. The prediction made in the blog is a family policy in 2019 will be $24,180. Click here for an in-depth look at what is predicted to happen to health care premiums over the next few years.

Should Obama step in for heatlhcare reform?

In a recent article at Fox News, they look at the current state of health care reform in Congress. While the House and the Senate have been bouncing back and forth between different versions for weeks, many are now calling for President Obama to step in and give his own bill to Congress. Obama called for a new health care plan, but left it up to Congress to write the bill which subsequently left the Democrats divided on many issues.

Read the full Fox News article here. What do you think? Would a new health care system be more likely if President Obama stepped in and wrote the bill then presented it to Congress?

Baxter comes to settlement in Illinois Settlement

According to Consumer Affairs, the State of Illinois and Baxter have come to an agreement over a dispute where the company inflated the wholesale prices used in setting the rates for Medicaid reimbursements. The case was settled for $6.8 million and those funds have already been placed in the General Revenue Fund to pay Medicare bills. Read more here.

Governors look at new Obama healthcare plan with concern

In an in-depth look at the current state of Medicaid reform from Obama in the New York Times today, they divulge that many policy makers are concerned about the new Medicaid plan that will cover any non-elderly person who is living at 133% or below the poverty level. This translates to an income of $29,300 for a family of four. The Republicans express disapproval, but are yet to come up with an alternate plan. State governors also meet and have expressed concern as to how they'll cover these new plans with dwindeling budgets and no aid from the government. Read the whole story on opposition to the Obama plan here.

Increasing funds to Medicaid

Forbes looks at the steps Obama is taking towards ensuring more Americans have health insurance. He would like to stop Medicaid privatization, and has already started off his term by increasing the number of children insured by Medicaid. On Tuesday, the House Democrats introduced a bill that would give Medicaid $438 billion over the next decade. Read the full article on Obamacare here.

Key changes needed for Medicare reform

According to a new article at Reuters, they believe the first steps in reforming healthcare have begun. Pharma Research and Manufacturers of America have agreed to cost savings measures as well as hospitals accepting Medicare cuts. The article then goes on to look at two other things that would be critical to Medicare reform: linking doctors pays to improving patients health and boosing the payments for primary care. Read the full article here.

Grants available for children not yet enrolled in Medicaid

According to Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, $40 million will be released to help families who have not yet been able to enroll in Medicaid and Childrens Health Insurance Program. This is part of the program focusing on the millions of uninsured children.

Secretary Sebelius stated:
“We know there are millions of children who are eligible for coverage but don’t utilize their state health care programs. These grants will help community organizations, tribal organizations, as well as states and local governments reach out to children and families to ensure more children get the health care they need and deserve.”

Read more here.

Medicare changes with overhaul

According to a recent article at MSNBC, between 2010 and 2030, Medicare patients will rise from 46 million to 78 million. In this time period, Medicare will continue to be underfunded. In order for Medicare to come out even right now, the tax on Medicare will have to go up 134% or Medicare spending will have to go down 53%. Read the article here for an in-depth look at how spending will have to change in order for Medicare to sustain itself.

Healthcare reform may not happen by October

The LA Times takes an in-depth look at the current time line for the health care reform from President Obama. The estimated cost of the new bill could cost up to $1.6 trillion over the next decade, and Obama'a goal of movoing the bill through the House and Senate by the end of the summer is looking dim. Read the full update here.

Republicans propose new healthcare plan

Today, the Republicans of the House have released their idea for a new healthcare plan. It would take the current system and improve upon already existing Medicaid and the State Childrens Health Insurance program. It would allow all individuals to have access to health insurance, while not mandating employers to supply it or individuals to purchase it.

For more, read the story here.

Where does healthcare reform stand?

Reuters has an article laying out where certain matters stand when it comes to healthcare reform for the United States. In this article, they look at what is currently going on in the Senate and the House. Read the full report here.

States facing tough chioces, many cutting funding to Medicaid

With money tight in every corner, many states are being forced to cut budgets that fund state run Medicaid programs.

In North Carolina, a possible Medicaid budget cut would affect the home-bound elderly the most. Although the cost of living at home is much less than the elderly living in nursing homes. In Mississippi, budget cuts will also go towards Medicaid instead of education funding.

Creation of HEAT hopes to combat Medicare fraud

Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced today the start of a new program called Healthcare Fraud Prevention and Enforcement Action Team (HEAT).

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Seblius stated,
“Today, we are turning up the heat on perpetrators who steal from the taxpayers and threaten the future of Medicare and Medicaid. Most providers are doing the right thing and providing care with integrity. But we cannot and will not allow billions of dollars to be stolen from Medicare and Medicaid through fraud, waste and serious abuse of the system. It’s time to bring the fight against fraud into the 21st century and put the resources on the streets and out into the community to protect the American taxpayers and lower the cost of health care.”

Read the full story here.

New Health Care policies proposed in the Senate

Recently at the New York Times, they looked at the new proposal by was made Monday by Senator Charles E. Schumer of New York. The Senate began discussing this issue yesterday. Read the full story here.

Florida changes Medicaid distribution

In a recent article at The Miami Herald, the Florida house has decided to restructure the panel that recommends how to distribute Medicaid money. Currently, of the $2 billion available to Medicaid, roughly 30% comes from the tax payers of Miami-Date county. For the full story, read here.

Lincare sees fall in profits

Lincare Holdings of Clearwater, Florida, a company that provides oxygen and respiratory therapy to patients in their homes, has seen a decrease in the first quarter 2009 revenue. This follows a 9.5% drop in reimbursements for certain Medicare supplies in addition to drug reimbursements that were $220 million lower. For the full story, read here.

Virtual colonoscopy and Medicare

The LA Times has an article about the new debate over virtual colonoscopies. With the Obama administration promising to make spending for Medicare more efficient, this debate arises. Colonscopies can be done in the traditional method or through a new virtual procedure, which often costs less. The government is now debating whether this procedure should be covered. Read the article here.

2010 rates for Medicare to be confirmed today

According to the Wall Street Journal, it will be announced today whether the 2010 Medicare Advantage rates will be finalized. If they are, then many private Medicare Advantage health plans for seniors will likely be cut. Read the full story here.