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New Medicaid work rules likely to hit middle-aged adults hard
Samantha Liss and Sam Whitehead, KFF Health News, Feb. 11
Lori Kelley’s worsening vision has made it difficult for her to find steady work. The 59-year-old from Harrisburg, North Carolina, currently works sorting recyclable materials at a local concert venue. She survives on less than $10,000 a year, which she says is possible in part because of her Medicaid health coverage. She worries she could lose that coverage when Medicaid work requirement rules take effect next year. Adults ages 50-64, particularly women, are likely to be hit hard by the new rules, according to KFF. For Kelley and others, the requirements will create barriers to keeping their coverage and could put their health at risk.
CT advocates push for expanded health care policy amid federal cuts
Molly Ingram, WSHU Public Radio, Feb. 10
A coalition of Connecticut advocacy groups wants state lawmakers to prioritize health care reform this session. The coalition is made up of groups that advocate for expanded health care each year. This year, they say their efforts differ because of federal cuts to Medicaid. As many as 170,000 Connecticut residents could lose Medicaid coverage. The coalition is calling for legislators to create a policy to reduce medical debt, redefine affordability, and expand coverage options to all residents. “We’ve heard some of our leaders say that Connecticut cannot be asked to fill the gap left by the federal government,” said Tom Swan, of the Connecticut Citizens Action Group. “We not only reject this austerity frame, we are calling on our elected officials to commit to bolder action than we have seen previously.”
‘It was chaos’: Federal cuts scare exposes fragility of Connecticut’s mental health safety net
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, Feb. 10
When more than $2 billion in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration grants were canceled nationwide, Jennifer Fiorillo woke up to find out her nonprofit had lost nearly a million dollars in funding overnight. As president and CEO of Milford-based Bridges HealthCare, she spent the day calling lawmakers and other advocates, hosting emergency staff meetings, and writing up internal memos explaining the situation. Hundreds of communities were set to experience disrupted care without any warning. “We were all on it very quickly,” she said. “It was chaos.” All funding was ultimately restored less than 24 hours after the cancellations, but the incident was an example of the state’s fiscally fragile social safety net and the need for more state investment to weather the changes.
Breast cancer survival rates higher in Medicaid expansion states, study finds
Nada Hassanein, Stateline, Feb. 6
Women with breast cancer living in states that expanded Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act were less likely to die from the disease than those in states that did not expand eligibility. According to a new study, Medicaid expansion was associated with lower overall mortality — no matter the disease stage, race or ethnicity, or neighborhood income of the women. However, not everyone benefited equally. Among racial and ethnic groups, Hispanic women saw the largest relative gains. They were 19% less likely to die if they lived in an expansion state. There were smaller gains among non-Hispanic Black women and residents of low-income areas.
‘I can’t tell you’: Attorneys, relatives struggle to find hospitalized ICE detainees
Claudia Boyd-Barrett, KFF Health News, Jan. 30
About a week after Julio César Peña was detained by immigration agents in his front yard, he was hospitalized after suffering a ministroke. Over the phone, he told his wife that he was shackled to the bed by his hand and foot and agents were in the room listening to the call. He was scared he would die and wanted his wife there. When his wife asked where he was, he replied, “I can’t tell you.” His attorney also couldn’t get an answer. Family members and attorneys for patients hospitalized after being detained by federal immigration officials said they are facing extreme difficulty trying to locate patients, get information about their well-being, and provide them emotional and legal support.