2011
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Three Keys to Setting Up Strong Health Insurance Exchanges
By Joe Touschner Even as the media is focusing on the high-profile debate over court challenges to the Affordable Care Act and efforts to repeal and defund it in the House of Representatives, many states continue to move steadily forward with implementation. California was a leader in enacting legislation to create its exchange last year,…
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MEDICAID MATTERS: Arizona Section 1115 Waiver Request Sets a New Low
I recently pulled out my copy of the Social Security Act to reread Section 1115 which provides the Secretary of Health and Human Services with the authority to permit waivers of certain rules of the Medicaid program. These projects were conceived of by Congressional drafters as “demonstration projects” or “experimental pilots” which “in the judgment…
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MEDICAID MATTERS
Did you know that more than 35 million children received their health coverage through Medicaid last year? And Medicaid and CHIP have been the reason for the amazing news that children’s rate of uninsurance has actually gone down to historically low levels at a time when the country is in serious economic straits. Add to…
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Getting To the Finish Line: Investments in State-Based Advocacy Show Real Returns in Covering Uninsured Children
By Liane Wong and Eugene Lewit, The David and Lucile Packard Foundation Even though last week seemed like it was all about the run-up to the Super Bowl, many of us in the nation had another cause to celebrate. February 4, 2011 was the second anniversary of the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program…
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New Fact Sheet Examines the Consequences of Repealing the Medicaid and CHIP Stability Protections
By Martha Heberlein In the past few years, Medicaid and CHIP coverage has held remarkably steady despite the weak economy and significant state budget problems. As a result, it has meant that public programs have been able to offer coverage to low-income children and families facing job loss, help to seniors in need of long-term…
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CHIPRA’s 2nd Birthday: Cake, Ice Cream & Outreach Grants
Ask anyone to share their childhood memories and inevitably, birthday parties will be among their favorite stories. So it’s fitting that we celebrate similar milestones when it comes to children’s health coverage as we are doing on this second anniversary of the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA). Cake and ice cream are yummy,…
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A Better Way – Secretary Sebelius Offers Alternatives to Canceling Coverage
By Jocelyn Guyer As we blogged a few weeks ago, the nation’s Republican governors have sent a letter to Congress asking for the stability protections included in the Affordable Care Act to be revoked. The debate already has turned ugly, with these Governors asserting that the stability protections are “unconscionable” and leave them with no choice…
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Steeler Nation Wins! (Super Blog-Off)
So what if the “Lombardi” is going home to Green Bay, Steeler Nation fans brought home the first Say Ahhh! Super Blog-Off trophy (naming rights still up for grabs). As loyal Say Ahhher’s know, we sponsored a “friendly” competition between Packer Backers and the Steeler Nation to see which group displayed more enthusiasm for efforts…
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Packer SuperBlogger Invokes Lombardi to Show Wisconsin is Leading the Charge for Children’s Health
(In honor of the Super Bowl, Say Ahhh! is hosting a Super Blog-Off to determine whether the Steeler Nation or Packer Backers are doing a better job of Connecting Kids to Coverage. Please read both blogs and vote for your favorite by submitting a comment. Comments must be submitted by kick-off Sunday night. See previous blog for…
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Steeler SuperBlogger: ‘No Baby Should Leave the Hospital Without an Insurance Card or a Terrible Towel’
(In honor of the Super Bowl, Say Ahhh! is hosting a Super Blog-Off to determine whether the Steeler Nation or Packer fans are doing a better job of Connecting Kids to Coverage. Please read both blogs and vote for your favorite by submitting a comment. Comments must be submitted by kick-off Sunday night. See previous…
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Super Blog-Off: Green Bay Faces Off Against Pittsburgh to Connect Kids to Coverage
So maybe I’m taking HHS Secretary Sebelius’ “Connecting Kids to Coverage Challenge” a little too far but if millions of Americans are going to drop everything to watch the Super Bowl, why can’t we channel some of that energy into something that will help uninsured children “Get Covered and Get in the Game”. Say Ahhh!…
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Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Inspires Innovation
By Liz Arjun Two years ago today, President Obama signed into law the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act to help families facing tough times find affordable health coverage for their children. Thanks to the strong resolve of national and state leaders, many of our children have been offered shelter during these turbulent economic times.…
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If We’re Going to Use Numbers, Can They At Least Be the Right Ones?
By Martha Heberlein While there have been many arguments related to the stability protections (aka the maintenance-of-effort requirements) that irk me due a skewing of the issues (such as the lack of “flexibility” states have in their Medicaid programs), one in particular has been driving me crazy. We at CCF have long tried to get…
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Florida Ruling on ACA Generates Some Surprise and a lot of Confusion
By Jane Perkins, National Health Law Project This past Monday, Florida district judge Roger Vinson issued his decision in one of the most closely watched cases challenging the constitutionality of the Affordable Care Act (ACA). At least 24 such cases have been filed in federal district courts around the country. The Florida case is different…
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A Closer Look at the Florida Ruling
(This blog originally appeared on the Health Policy Hub) By Eva Marie Stahl, Community Catalyst Vinson toasts anti-ACA supporters with tea Alas, the Judge Roger Vinson (Florida v. HHS) ruling is here. The Florida-led case remains the media darling of the handful of cases challenging health reform that are rolling through the Federal courts in…
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Legal Challenges to ACA – Long Road Ahead
As you’ve probably seen in the news media, there will be a long road ahead in getting a final answer to the legal challenges to the Affordable Care Act. The Obama administration will appeal the ruling (and possibly also request a stay of the ruling) by a Florida judge. U.S. District Judge Roger Vinson in Pensacola…
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CHIPRA Led Way to More Stable and Accessible Coverage in Ohio
(Editor’s Note: CHIPRA celebrates its second anniversary this week and Say Ahhh! is featuring guest blogs about how the law has impacted children and families in their states. Mary Wachtel of Voices for Ohio’s Children is today’s featured blogger. Ohio was also featured in CCF’s 50-state survey of Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment released…
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With the Right Mix, Children’s Coverage Doesn’t Have to Take a Back Seat
By Julie Silas (Children’s Defense Fund-California) and Mike Odeh (Children Now), with the 100% Campaign While health insurers are pulling child-only plans out of the individual insurance market in a majority of states, California stands as a model in realizing the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and envisioning a reformed coverage system where the injustice against children is finally…
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CHIPRA Provides More Funds to Help States Pay for Language Services
By Mara Youdelman, National Health Law Program As immigrant communities expand across the United States, many healthcare providers and patients have encountered communication barriers making it difficult for patients to receive proper care. Yet proper communication is as important to healthcare as a stethoscope. You can’t listen to someone’s heart without a stethoscope. How can…
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Groups Support Rule to Upgrade Medicaid Enrollment Systems
By Jocelyn Guyer Georgetown University’s Center for Children and Families (CCF), along with more than 200 other organizations, joined together to submit comments to CMS in support of a proposed rule that would provide 90% matching funding for state Medicaid eligibility system upgrades. Organizations participating in this effort represented 41 states and the District of…