On January 1st, California’s Cal MediConnect plans for dually eligible individuals transitioned to newly created Medicare Medi-Cal Plans. Known as Medi-Medi Plans or MMPs, these plans are provided by the same insurance carriers as Cal Medi-Connect and offer the same healthcare benefits. The matching plans are designed to coordinate care for people with both Medicare … Read more
Dave Schneider, Managing Principal at Health Management Associates, recently told State of Reform that Michigan lawmakers, policy makers, and beneficiaries need to start watching MI Health Link because—in accordance the recent final rule, CMS-4192-F, issued by CMS—Michigan plans to transition to an Integrated Dual Eligible Special Needs Plan beginning 2026. Currently, for dual … Read more
In this month’s newsletter we have an interview on care integration with FBHA CEO Melanie Brown-Woofter, a deep dive on Medicare-related provisions in the Inflation Reduction Act, and details on a new RFP for home visiting services providers. Thanks for reading! Emily Boerger State of Reform 1. Inflation Reduction Act’s impact on prescription drugs … Read more
Health care advocates in Colorado are lauding the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act for its provisions to lower health care costs for Coloradans. Speaking at a press event after the US Senate passed the legislation last week, the state’s Democratic US Senators Michael Bennetand John Hickenlooper both spoke to the legislation’s impact … Read more
President Biden signed a sweeping $750 billion health care, tax, and climate bill on Tuesday. The move comes after Congress passed the Inflation Reduction Act last week through reconciliation, with vote counts of 220-207 in the House and 51-50 in the Senate—an even split along party lines that was decided by Vice President Kamala Harris’s … Read more
This month’s newsletter includes data on Medicaid beneficiaries’ ED utilization, insight on how federal legislation to lower Medicare Part D prescription drug prices would benefit Coloradans, and more. Thanks for reading! Eli Kirshbaum State of Reform 1. Report shows Coloradans would benefit from Medicare Rx cost reform A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation says over … Read more
Congress and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have struggled for three decades to establish a stable, and affordable, system of determining annual updates for physician fees. While it was hoped that a law passed in the middle of the last decade would permanently end the volatility, it appears that further interventions by … Read more
Health care costs rose by 49% per person over a 6-year period in Oregon as prescription drug prices increased greatly. The 49% jump represented an average increase of 6.9% per year from 2013-2019, according to a new Oregon Health Authority report. Medicare costs grew 58% per person, while commercial costs increased 45%. Medicaid … Read more
The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the board of trustees charged with overseeing Medicare’s financial health recently released updated forecasts of the program within days of each other. These latest reports are valuable starting points for examining Medicare’s current status and likely future course. CBO’s Medicare estimates, released on May 25th, are included … Read more
In this edition of “5 Things We’re Watching,” we take a look at fentanyl use in Oregon, updates on federal health policy that could impact the state, and coverage of the latest Bridge Health Care Program Task Force meeting. Thanks for reading! Emily Boerger State of Reform 1. Bridge Program task force discusses federal … Read more