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Gov. Lamont signs maternal health care bills into law in Connecticut
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, July 22
Despite ranking high in health programs and outcomes, Connecticut consistently performs poorly when it comes to maternal and infant health. Two new laws aim to address maternal health disparities by developing strategic plans and strengthening efforts that are already underway. Public Act 25-38 requires the state to develop a plan to increase the number of birth centers in Connecticut, explore ways to enhance Medicaid payments for doulas, and expand the work of the Connecticut Fatherhood Initiative. Special Act 25-7 establishes a task force to examine the availability of perinatal mental health care services and identify gaps in care.
How federal policy changes will affect Access Health CT plans
Katy Golvala, The Connecticut Mirror, July 23
Roughly 150,000 Connecticut residents purchase health insurance through Access Health CT, the state’s health insurance exchange – and many of them could face big changes in the coming year because of changes at the federal level. More than 135,000 Access Health CT customers will lose some or all of the financial assistance that discounts the cost of their insurance, unless Congress takes action to extend existing levels of subsidies. Beyond that, more than 15,000 state residents will lose eligibility for financial assistance in the next two years because of new restrictions on coverage options for immigrants in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
Disabled Americans fear what Medicaid cuts could do to them
Maggie Astor, The New York Times, July 21
About 4.5 million Americans depend on Medicaid’s home- and community-based care services. Many fear the services could be at risk because of Medicaid cuts in the new federal law signed this month. Federal law deems most home- and community-based services optional, so they are often targeted when states have to tighten their belts. When temporary Great Recession increases in Medicaid funding expired in the early 2010s, for example, every state reduced home care by limiting enrollment or lowering spending on existing recipients. The White House and congressional Republicans said people with disabilities would not be affected by the cuts, but health care experts disagree.
Georgia shows rough road ahead for states as Medicaid work requirements loom
Renuka Rayasam and Sam Whitehead, KFF Health News, July 21
Under the new federal law, states including Connecticut will be required to institute work requirements for many adults covered by Medicaid. Experiences in Georgia, which has the nation’s only Medicaid work requirement program, show they can be costly for states to run, frustrating for enrollees to navigate, and disruptive to other public benefit systems. Georgia’s budget for marketing is nearly as much as it has spent on health benefits. Meanwhile, most enrollees under age 65 are already working or have a barrier that prevents them from doing so.
Trump administration hands over Medicaid recipients’ personal data, including addresses, to ICE
Kimberly Kindy and Amanda Seitz, The Associated Press, July 17
Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials will be given access to the personal data of the nation’s 79 million Medicaid enrollees, including home addresses and ethnicities, to track down immigrants who may not be living legally in the United States. Such disclosures, even if not acted upon, could cause widespread alarm among people seeking emergency medical help for themselves or their children. Other efforts to crack down on illegal immigration have made schools, churches, courthouses and other everyday places feel perilous to immigrants and even U.S. citizens who fear getting caught up in a raid.