Judge Overturns Arizona Law that Violated Medicaid Rules

Medicaid is a public form of health insurance that provides coverage for people who are low-income. A Judge has overturned a law in Arizona that would have barred Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding. The law violates Medicaid’s freedom of choice provision. Medicaid is funded by both the federal government and the government of an individual state. Recently, Governor Jan Brewer expand that Arizona would expand its Medicaid program. The federal government offers funding to enable states to do that. The funding would be used to cover more low-income people who cannot afford to purchase a health plan from a … Continue reading →

Arizona Hospitals In Favor of Expanding Medicaid

Arizona Governor Jan Brewer announced that her state would expand its Medicaid program. The details of the plan are still being worked out. Even so, hospital executives are approving of the expansion of the Medicaid program. It would help them with the cost of uncompensated care. In a surprising move, Governor Jan Brewer, of Arizona, has decided that her state will expand its Medicaid program. According to the LA Times, Governor Brewer said that if Arizona didn’t accept the federal funding to expand its Medicaid program that other states would claim that funding. She also said: With this move, we … Continue reading →

Arizona Will Expand its Medicaid Program

This was really unexpected! The Governor of Arizona, Jan Brewer, has announced that the state of Arizona will be expanding its Medicaid program. The federal funding that comes with the decision appears to be a primary motivating factor. If the Arizona Congress passes this initiative, it would greatly benefit the citizens of Arizona. Arizona Governor Jan Brewer, a Republican, has a track record of opposing the Affordable Care Act. She decided that Arizona would have a federally run health insurance exchange, something seen by many other Republicans as “opting out” of participation in the Affordable Care Act. Arizona was also … Continue reading →

Court Approves California Cuts to Medi-Cal Providers

There has been an ongoing saga in California about cuts to providers who treat patients that are covered by Medi-Cal. More than one court case has been filed about this situation. Now, a federal appeals court has approved the reimbursement cut to providers who see Medi-Cal patients. This story has been going on for quite some time. In 2008 and 2009, the state of California legislature cut the reimbursement fees that it paid to hospitals, doctors, and other health care providers. In some cases, the cut to the reimbursement rate was as high as 10%. In 2011, the state of … Continue reading →

Open Enrollment for Medicare Ends Soon

Many health insurance plans have what is called an “open enrollment” period. It is the time when people can make changes to their health plans. The end of the open enrollment period for Medicare is coming up fast! Medicare is a public form of health insurance. It covers people who are age 65 or older. It also covers people (of any age) who have End Stage Renal Disease. Medicare also covers people who are younger than age 65 and who have certain types of disabilities. There are four different parts to Medicare. Part A is “Hospital Insurance”. It covers inpatient … Continue reading →

Alaska Calls Medicaid an “Entitlement Program”

Every state has its own Medicaid program. You can learn a lot about the political environment in a state by the wording it chooses to use on its official Medicaid website. Alaska refers to Medicaid as an “entitlement program”. The state put that phrase in quotes. This speaks volumes. Medicaid is a public, or government run, health insurance program. It is designed to cover individuals and families who are low income and who cannot afford to purchase a health plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by the federal government. It is also funded, in part, … Continue reading →

Information About Medicaid in Hawaii

Every state has their own Medicaid program. Most of the states officially call it Medicaid, but some change it to a name that is more individuated. In Hawaii, the Medicaid program is called Med-Quest. Here is some basic information about the Med-Quest program. Medicaid is a public, or government run, health insurance program. It is designed to provide health insurance coverage for individuals and families who are low income and who cannot afford to purchase a health insurance plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by the federal government. It is also funded, in part, by … Continue reading →

Federal Government Extends Deadlines for Exchanges

Originally, the deadline for states to show how they intended to operate their health insurance exchanges was November 16, 2012. The federal government decided to extend the deadline to December 14, 2012. The exchanges are going to be ready by January 1, 2014, no matter what. The health insurance exchanges are part of the rules and regulations set forth by the Affordable Care Act, (which was signed in 2010). The purpose of the exchanges is to enable all Americans, (and some small businesses) to easily find an affordable health insurance policy. People can use the exchange to compare one policy … Continue reading →

The Medicaid Program in Maine Has Problems

The Medicaid program in Maine is full of difficulties. The state has a history of asking the federal government for waivers from certain portions of the Affordable Care Act, some of which result in changes to Medicaid. The Medicaid program in Maine is not as robust as the programs in other states, but it does still exist. Medicaid is a public, or government run, form of health insurance. It is designed to cover individuals and families who are low income and who cannot afford to purchase a health plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by … Continue reading →

Medicaid Programs for Kids in New Hampshire

The Medicaid program in each and every state has a portion that covers children. In New Hampshire, there are several different programs that provide health insurance coverage to children who come from low income families. Medicaid is a public, or government run, form of health insurance. It provides health insurance coverage for low income individuals and families who cannot afford to buy a health plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded, in part, by the federal government. It is also funded, in part, by the government of an individual state. In New Hampshire, the Medicaid program is administered … Continue reading →