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CT workers face fear and uncertainty as federal Medicaid work requirements loom
Sujata Srinivasan, CT Public, Sept. 8
Part-time workers insured by Medicaid are bracing to navigate sweeping changes to the program. Christina Wolney, 42, has narcolepsy, post traumatic stress disorder and gastroparesis. She works at a college bookshop in Willimantic, making slightly more than minimum wage. “I work 20 hours a week on average,” she said. “But when the company’s not doing well or if it’s a slow week, or they expect a slow week, then my hours might be cut. And on a busy time my hours might go up.” That poses a problem because, starting in 2027, people in the Medicaid expansion group will be required to work 80 hours each month to remain eligible. That means Wolney could lose Medicaid if her hours fall short.
He built Michigan’s Medicaid work requirement system. Now he’s warning other states.
Kate Wells, KFF Health News, Sept. 5
Robert Gordon was Michigan’s state health director in 2020, when the state was supposed to begin requiring some Medicaid clients to work 80 hours per month or lose coverage. The law had passed under a previous administration and Gordon opposed the requirement he had to implement. His team tried to minimize coverage losses. Officials in many other states are in a similar position now that federal law requires states to impose work reporting requirements in Medicaid. Michigan’s experience illustrates how challenging it can be to stop large numbers of people from inadvertently losing coverage, even when leaders try their best to prevent that.
Lamont issues orders aimed at COVID vaccine access
Katie Golvala, The Connecticut Mirror, Sept. 10
Gov. Ned Lamont issued a slew of executive actions seeking to protect COVID-19 vaccine access in Connecticut amid recent federal changes that are causing confusion over who’s eligible for shots, where to get them and how much they’re going to cost. The state’s Department of Public Health is encouraging children 6 months and older, as well as adults of all ages, to get vaccinated. Guidance issued by the Department of Consumer Protection seeks to facilitate access to the boosters at local pharmacies, and a bulletin from the Connecticut Insurance Department guarantees coverage of the shots for certain residents.
The U.S. is headed toward two very different vaccination realities
Daniela Hernandez and Doha Madani, NBC News, Sept. 3
For decades, the federal government, in collaboration with infectious disease experts, has crafted guidelines for who should receive vaccinations and when. States and medical organizations used the guidelines to administer shots, and insurance companies used them to determine payment. But amid turmoil at the federal level, states and medical organizations are making changes. California, Oregon and Washington are forming an alliance to provide information about vaccine safety. Meanwhile, Florida moved to eliminate vaccination mandates, and other states are considering similar measures.
Related: What do I do about my family’s vaccinations now? Dylan Scott, Vox, Sept. 9
Trump’s ‘Big Beautiful Bill’ could cost 168K CT residents their health insurance, study finds
Eric Bedner, CT Insider, Sept. 8
More than 168,000 Connecticut residents are projected to lose their health insurance coverage over the next 10 years as a result of the so-called “Big Beautiful Bill,” likely resulting in higher health-care costs for all residents, according to a new study from CT DataHaven. Lower-income residents are expected to be affected the most, with about 102,000 state residents living below 200% of the federal poverty level projected to lose Medicaid coverage.
Related: Over 100K CT residents could lose Medicaid coverage. What towns may be hit hardest?, Sasha Allen, The Connecticut Mirror, Sept. 5