Missouri governor pushes for Medicaid expansion; Kansas still awaits word from feds on KanCare overhaul; and New Jersey bill would limit insurers' ability to make reimbursement cuts in this week's Medicaid Digest.
Missouri's Democratic governor advocates for Medicaid expansion
Gov. Jay Nixon announced this week that he plans to lobby the Missouri legislature to expand the state Medicaid program to cover as many as 300,000 uninsured Missourians, a stance that is sure to set the stage for a political battle in the state, according to a report in the Kansas City Star. Republicans, who currently hold super majorities on both of the state's legislative chambers have shown strong opposition to the idea, but Nixon intends to push forward.
"This is not the time to open the debate on (the Affordable Care Act) or argue the merits of (the Affordable Care Act)," Nixon said. "Congress passed it, the president signed it and the Supreme Court upheld it. It is the law of the land."
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The governor has one expected ally in the Missouri Hospital Association, which has warned of dire financial consequences for hospitals in the state if the program isn't expanded, including the possibility that some hospitals may be forced to close.
A study from the University of Missouri and health care consulting firm of Dobson DaVanzo and Associates estimates that a Missouri Medicaid expansion would cost the federal government $8.2 billion and the state $333 million between 2014 and 2020.
Kansas still waiting for Medicaid waiver
Kansas state health officials are still waiting word from CMS on Gov. Sam Brownback's plan to for transitioning virtually of the state's 380,000 Medicaid recipients into managed care.
Robert Moser, MD, head of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said in a Kansas Health Institute report that he is optimistic that things are moving forward with CMS positively, but that he has not heard a specific date for approval or rejection.
The state has scheduled a statewide teleconference for next week on the proposed program, which is intended to describe the details of its managed care proposal and answer questions from providers and Medicaid enrollees.
N.J. bill seeks to limit private insurers' Medicaid reimbursement cuts
A New Jersey state senator recently introduced a bill that seeks to limit the power of private insurers in the Medicaid program to cut reimbursement rates for homecare services. If the bill passes, it would require insurers to hold public hearings to discuss proposed rate cuts, which would have to be approved by the New Jersey's Department of Human Services.
The bill, introduced by Teaneck Democratic Sen. Loretta Weinberg, came after pleas from home health agencies in response to planned cuts announced by Horizon NJ Health, the state's largest managed care company in the state Medicaid program, according to a report in the Bergen County Record.
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In its first proposal, Horizon sought to cut the hourly reimbursement rate for home care services from $15.50 an hour to $13.95, or 10 percent. Homecare providers have warned that such a steep cut could lead to an exodus of home care workers from the field. Horizon has since reduced the level of its proposed cut to 4.5 percent.