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08 Jul 2011 14:08

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U.S.: Breakthrough Medicaid study proves its usefulness

  • 35% increased likelihood Medicaid users would go to a doctor
  • 15% increased likelihood they would use prescription drugs
  • 30% increased likelihood they would get admitted to the hospital source
  • » A new study with broad ramifications: The results of the National Bureau of Economic Research’s study may seem obvious, but the debate on whether or not to cut funding for Medicaid has long rested on whether experts thought low-income people would actually use the public form of medical insurance. The new study proves this is the case, and does it in an interesting way — rather than comparing the insured to the uninsured (a common tactic used before), the study treated Medicaid the same way researchers might treat a drug. The result? Fellow researchers are hailing the study as “historic” and say it’ll shape national health care debates for years to come.

02 Jun 2011 00:30

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U.S.: Latest attempt to defund Planned Parenthood fails

  • plan In preparation for his aborted presidential run, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels signed a bill blocking Medicaid recipients from using Planned Parenthood’s services.
  • problem The Health and Human Services Department has informed Daniels that the bill he signed is in violation of federal Medicaid law, and thus can’t be implemented. source
  • » What was wrong with the bill? Well, from a moral standpoint, a lot. But from a legislative standpoint, the issue is that Medicaid beneficiaries are legally permitted to use their Medicaid anywhere they want, so long as they do so at a “qualified service provider.” The bill Daniels discriminates against Planned Parenthood for reasons unrelated to its qualifications. Proponents of the bill correctly pointed out that the Hyde Act makes it illegal for federal funds to pay for abortions; however, only 3% of Planned Parenthood’s services are abortive, and for low-income Hoosiers to be blocked from Planned Parenthood’s other services simply because the governor once wanted to run for president is not only wrong–it’s against the law.

11 May 2011 19:37

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U.S.: “Mitch The Knife” lives up to name, cuts health services for poor sick people

  • NO Planned Parenthood access for poor Hoosiers source
  • » Last June, he called for a “truce” on social issues. Now, with a presidential run looking ever-so-tempting, Mitch Daniels has no problem cutting reproductive services for 9,300 Medicaid recipients in Indiana, of which he is regrettably the governor. Today, a court rejected Planned Parenthood’s efforts to postpone enforcement of the bill. For low-income Indianans who feared they might have life-threatening illnesses, Planned Parenthood was one of their only resources. Now, thanks to Daniels’ quixotic presidential ambitions, they’re out of luck. (Note: A separate request for an injunction, filed by the ACLU, has not yet been ruled on)

27 Dec 2010 13:18

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U.S.: Alabama at top of Medicaid bonus class … and then some

  • So, fun fact about Medicaid for children: Around two-thirds of uninsured children are eligible to receive it. But nearly 4.7 million children who are eligible for the service don’t receive it. Why? Well, to put it simply, state and federal governments are absolutely terrible at informing parents that it’s an option. It’s something the Obama administration has been working on, however, and thanks to some incentives, 15 states are being rewarded for insuring more children (around 874,000 in total) in the last year. Or, actually, Alabama and 14 other states:
  • $309
    million
    the amount in Medicaid bonuses that the Obama administration is handing to the states
  • $55
    million
    the amount that Alabama – *ALONE* – is taking in, more than double any other state on the list source

17 Jul 2010 03:25

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U.S.: We’re hiding from the arrest-happy feds because we bilked Medicare

  • $251M was reportedly bilked by these major fakers
  • 94 people have been charged with the crimes
  • 36 are in custody; 58 are still being sought source

20 Dec 2009 10:40

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Politics: Fox News’ angle on Ben Nelson: He sold his vote for his state!

  • Do the twist! Saying that the abortion concessions weren’t enough, Fox News claims that Nelson sold his vote for health care to win kickbacks. “It’s pretty obvious votes have been bought,” Sen. Saxby Chambliss of Georgia said. Nelson did get Reid to agree to help pick up his state’s future Medicaid tab, at a cost of $45 million. Most other states will get their tab picked up, but only over a short period.
  • Fair & balanced Politico covers the issue differently – they note it’s the kind of concessionary agreement made with legislation like this. Nelson’s fellow Democratic Nebraska senator, Tom Harkin, makes a good point: “… it is going to be the impetus for all the states to stay at 100 percent. So he might have done all of us a favor.” That’s right, the Feds might pay the balance of Medicaid for everyone eventually.