2013
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Most Important Issues for Children in the New Proposed Rule on Medicaid, CHIP and Exchanges
By Jocelyn Guyer After an intensive few weeks spent lugging around binders filled with the latest proposed rule on Medicaid and CHIP, we’ve finally done it! Here is our very best shot at a concise(ish) list of the top issues of concern for kids in the proposed rule. Comments are due this Thursday and, if…
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Assister Types Abound: Seven Steps to Strengthen Certified Application Counselor Programs
If you read the first blog in this series, you know we’re excited about the new Certified Application Counselor program because it builds on the existing and immensely effective infrastructure of community-based application assistance in many states. Here are seven ways to strengthen the proposed CAC program rules to better protect and meet the needs…
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Assister Types Abound: Introducing the Certified Application Counselor
Using community-based organizations, including community health centers and hospitals, to assist with Medicaid and CHIP enrollment has been a core element of successful state strategies in maximizing children’s health coverage over the years. Based on the latest 50-state survey on Medicaid and CHIP eligibility and enrollment, 23 states provided funding to these key community partners…
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WI Gov Proposes BadgerCare for Childless Adults but Cuts to Parent Coverage
By Jon Peacock, Wisconsin Council on Children and Families Governor Scott Walker of Wisconsin announced last week that his budget proposal will significantly reduce eligibility for parents in BadgerCare, while partially closing the current gap in BadgerCare coverage for adults who don’t have dependent children. The Governor’s plan will cut in half the income ceiling…
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Building a Meaningful Exchange
By Lorraine Gonzalez-Camastra, Children’s Defense Fund – New York The letter of the law versus the spirit of the law is an idiomatic antithesis. When one adheres to the letter but not the spirit, one is following the literal interpretation of the language, but not the intent of those who created the law. Conversely, when…
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Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans (PCIPs) Closing
By Sabrina Corlette, Center on Health Insurance Reforms When we last checked in on the high risk pools created under the Affordable Care Act (called the Pre-existing Condition Insurance Plans, or PCIPs), it was to relate the stories of Randy Morales and Kathleen Watson, individuals whose access to insurance coverage through the PCIPs likely saved…
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Draft Comments CMS 2334P
CCF Cover Letter CMS 2334P CCF Comments on Immigrant Issues CCF Draft Comments CMS 2334P CDF Comments Former Foster CMS 2334P DRAFT NHELP Comments CMS 2334P
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Diabetes No Longer Impediment to Daughter’s Future Thanks to Affordable Care Act
By JoAnn Volk, Center on Health Insurance Reforms (Veronica of Charlotte, North Carolina, was diagnosed with diabetes at age 8. She is pictured here with her mother Nikki.) Health, happiness and success are three of the most common wishes parents have for their children’s future. That is why it is so devastating when a child…
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HHS Answers Questions About Medicaid and Basic Health Program in FAQ
By Sabrina Corlette, Center on Health Insurance Reforms The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released last week some materials of interest to those of us tracking the health insurance exchanges. Sorry, I should say health insurance “marketplaces.” First, for those interested in the future of the Basic Health Program (BHP) authorized under the Affordable Care…
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Proposed Rules Shed Light on Individual Mandate Exceptions
By Joe Touschner and Tara Mancini As highlighted in the Supreme Court case, we all know that the Affordable Care Act includes a tax on those who choose not to maintain health insurance coverage starting next year. New rules from the federal government spell out just who will face that tax—and more importantly, who won’t.…
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Florida’s Failure to Accept Federal Funding to Expand Medicaid Would Create Coverage Gap
CCF’s Co-Executive Director Joan Alker was in Florida today testifying on the Florida Medicaid expansion before the Senate Select Committee on the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. Joan has spent ten years researching Florida’s Medicaid program and released a report in November assessing Florida’s Medicaid choice so the committee wanted to hear from her.…
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The Medicaid Expansion: A One-Step Plan to Improve Coverage and Care
Margaret Murray and Kathryn Kuhmerker, Association for Community Affiliated Plans In 2014, the Affordable Care Act will expand Medicaid eligibility and bring affordable health coverage to up to 16 million people who don’t have it today. For the first time, thanks to the ACA, all Americans—at least those who live in states that opt into Medicaid…
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Florida’s Medicaid Choice Under the ACA
These slides were used in Joan Alker’s testimony to the Senate Select Committee on PPACA in Tallahassee, FL.
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Is There a New Premium Assistance Option in the Air?
So as I mentioned in my last blog on the Secretary’s Q and A in December, which most notably said waivers to do a partial Medicaid expansion are not on offer, an extremely obscure premium assistance option has been dusted off and featured in the Secretary’s letter – drum roll please — Section 1905a of…
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States Warming Up to Medicaid Option
By Tara Mancini As we reach the dead of winter, throughout the country there seems to be little thaw in opposition to the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid option. This week, there was a flurry of activity by governors and legislators warming up to the Medicaid expansion option. This week it is getting especially hot; within…
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Clogging State Legislative Agendas with Misguided Navigator Restrictions
(Editor’s Note: As was reported in today’s Washington Post by Nurith Aizenman, signing up an estimated 30 million uninsured Americans for coverage will be a daunting task and some state legislatures are making it more difficult. Tricia Brooks, CCF’s expert on navigators and in-person assisters, finds that some state legislative proposals that restrict consumers access…
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The Goldilocks Plan: Getting Benefit Design “Just Right” for Insurance Exchanges
Yesterday, the journal Health Affairs has published an article I co-wrote with CHIR colleague Christine Monahan and colleagues Dave Downs and Barbara Yondorf, both affiliated with Engaged Public in Denver, Colorado. In it, we examine a policy conundrum for health exchange planners. On one hand, politicians and policymakers have promised consumers that the new exchanges…
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Ohio’s Republican Governor Says Yes to Medicaid
“Better health. Better care. Better, more efficient use of taxpayer dollars. All are reasons why Medicaid expansion is right for Ohio,” read the tweet from Ohio’s Office of Medical Assistance as Ohio Governor John Kasich became the 5th Republican Governor to say “yes” to Medicaid option – a decision that may have ripple effects in…
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Covering Parents is Good for Kids: How Can Kids Be All Right if Parents Don’t Have Health Care?
Four years ago today, President Obama signed the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act into law. In the audience that day to observe the signing ceremony was the Secrest family from Martinsville, Virginia. They had been invited as special guests as their children received coverage through FAMIS – Virginia’s CHIP program. Mr. Secrest had lost…
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Super Blog-Off: 49ers Survive Ravens Rally to Bring Home Say Ahhh! Trophy
Where were you when the lights went off? Hopefully you were tuned into the Say Ahhh! Super Blog-Off!. This year’s Super Blog-off had all the excitement of the Super Bowl with an early lead by one team then a strong rally by another. Both teams were incredibly strong and topped all previous Super-Blog Off records…