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Confusion and angst follow state’s early rollout of Medicaid work rules
Aaron Bolton, KFF Health News and Montana Public Radio, Sept. 29
Most states must implement Medicaid work requirements by Jan. 1, but three states — Montana, Nebraska and Arkansas — have already gotten started. In Montana, the new rules are causing confusion. Bethany Zulick, a college student, meets the requirements but received conflicting information about when she had to prove it. Medicaid advocates worry that type of confusion will lead to thousands of people losing coverage even when they are eligible. They argue that even the Jan. 1 deadline is not enough time to put the systems in place that will be needed to track people’s eligibility.
As work requirements kick in for Medicaid, some states are taking a tougher stance
Geoff Mulvihill, Associated Press, Sept. 26
Some Republican-led states are imposing tougher Medicaid rules than the federal government requires. While federal regulations say people can self-report if they are too medically frail to work for the first year, at least six states are requiring documentation immediately. Advocates say that could create problems, especially for new applicants. “Someone may not be able to work, but they can’t see a doctor because they can’t afford it. So they’re now applying for Medicaid,” said Jennifer Tolbert, director of state health policy and data at the research organization KFF. “But Medicaid is saying you need documentation from a provider.”
Meal deliveries can save money and improve health. Will they survive Medicaid cuts?
Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, NPR, Sept. 26
When Vanessa Georges was in remission for throat cancer, she struggled with what to eat. When she started receiving medically tailored meals through a program for Medicaid patients who cannot grocery shop or cook for themselves, she started to feel better and spend less time in the doctor’s office. Researchers found evidence backing her observation. About 1,900 Massachusetts residents who, like Georges, received medically tailored meals for at least three months needed less medical care. However, programs like this one could soon be eliminated as a result of cuts to Medicaid.
High-risk pregnancy doctors publish new standards for care under state abortion bans
Kelcie Moseley-Morris, Stateline, Sept. 25
A group of maternal-fetal medicine specialists has developed new guidelines to help providers in states with abortion bans. The guidelines are intended to help providers navigate legal risks for themselves and medical challenges for high-risk patients. Maternal-fetal medicine specialists see high-risk patients with conditions like high blood pressure or fetal anomalies. Those conditions can become even more dangerous in states with abortion bans, where doctors are unsure when they can terminate a pregnancy without potentially jeopardizing their medical licenses or facing criminal charges. The guidelines recommend providers set up referral networks across state lines, work to find agreement on what is permissible under state law and counsel patients on their options even in states with restrictions.
They served their time in prison. Then the bills arrived.
Ginny Monk and Andrew Brown, The Connecticut Mirror, Sept. 27
Connecticut law allows the state to charge a fee for every day a person spends in prison, and then collect on that debt in certain situations. Some states have similar “pay to stay” laws, but Connecticut’s is one of the harshest. The daily cost that Connecticut bills to prisoners is among the highest in the country. In some cases, people in Connecticut have been forced to sell their homes to settle the debts, a practice that advocates say exacerbates long-standing income disparities in the state. Research has shown that displacing formerly incarcerated people and leaving them with debt makes it harder for them to reintegrate into society. The practice has also affected families dealing with medical bills and serious illness.