STILL SEATS FOR THE FREE WEBINAR SERIES FOR 2016! The response has been incredible. As of this morning, we had 330 people signed up. Room for about 100 more if you want to join us. If you haven’t signed up, please do- State Spotlight Series sign up- http://goo.gl/4LWxlA ; Clay’s Monthly Medicaid News Roundtable Signup- http://goo.gl/JkcPQL If you have signed up, please pass on to a friend or colleague. Don’t forget the chance to win the Amazon gift card!
FREESTONE STATE GUVN’R TRIES TO WRITE LEGISLATORS OUT OF THE LOOP- The Good Guvn’r Malloy wants to stop those mean ole’ legislators from doing that evil “checks and balances thing” in CT. In today’s CT law, the Mcd agency can’t just run out and get a bunch of federal waiver cash without getting legislative approval. Malloy wants to remove this authority specifically for Mcd waivers. The legislature has had this veto power since 2007, and over-rode then-guvn’r Rell’s veto to get it. Seems the people have spoken through their reps, Mr. Malloy. What part of 3 co-equal branches of government do you not understand? With this type of political worldview (that the Executive branch is supreme), perhaps you should accelerate your career path to DC?
DOVES IN HAWKEYE STATE FRET OVER MCO LAUNCH- Mcd officials have gone through various readiness tests, have doubled provider contracts with MCOs, and have done double-duty on the grueling legislative committee circuit to answer inane questions from legislators who know less-than-zero about healthcare, let alone Medicaid managed care. And Republican legislators are leading the push to delay the shift to Mcd privatization. Can someone please write in and tell me which end is up in Iowa?
HEART OF DIXIE HAS CHANGE OF HEART ON MEDICAID MANAGED CARE- My own beloved homeland is taking the plunge. She got approval from the federalis to bring Medicaid Managed Care starting October 1 this year. There was much celebration in Montgomery (and statewide, across all 5 RCO regions) last week, when the approval for the 1115 waiver was announced. The deal gets AL up to $748M from CMS. That’s a lot barbecue sandwiches (sorry TN and NC, you got nothing on Bama BBQ, which of course may be loosely related to our terrible health outcomes here).
BLUEGRASS STATE WARNS OF SKYROCKETING MEDICAID COSTS- KY Mcd will jump 20% to cost more than $3.7B in 2 short years. Maybe this explains why the Good Guvn’r Bevin wants to un-expand?
SOONER STATE HOUSE BILL 2665 SET TO KICK 111K OFF MEDICAID ROLLS TO HELP PLUG $1.3B STATE BUDGET HOLE- The bill would kick off “any non-pregnant able bodied adult younger than age 65.” Savings estimates come in around $111M a year. Not sure how they are going to fill that hole, even with that annual savings. Maybe Bernie can write them a check to make it all free when he stumps in OK? Mr. Sanders, are you listening? We need some of your magic!
BEEHIVE STATE HAS FOUR – COUNT EM’, 4! – MEDICAID EXPANSION PLANS ON THE TABLE – After 3 years of false starts, Utah may finally be ready to pass an expansion plan. 3 plans are from Republicans; 1 is from a Democrat. Check the twitter feed for details – some are pretty interesting, including one focused on expanding Medicaid to homeless or near-homeless families.
That’s it for this week. As always, please send me a note with your thoughts to clay@mostlymedicaid.com or give me a buzz at 919.727.9231. Get outside (build a fire!) and keep running the race (you know who you are).
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‘arsal al’ab w alaibn li’iinqadh alealam