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Nebraska rolls out Medicaid work requirements, putting thousands at risk of losing coverage
Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, May 1
Nebraska is the first state to implement Medicaid work requirements under H.R. 1, eight months ahead of the deadline mandated by the federal law. The change is expected to strip health coverage from around 25,000 residents who qualified for the program under the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. In addition to those who no longer meet the requirements, Medicaid advocates say many eligible people could lose coverage as a result of not being given enough advance notice or clear guidance on what to do. “Even short lapses in coverage can translate into dangerous, even deadly interruptions in medical care,” said Dr. Adam Gaffney, a critical care physician and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School.
States eye aid to prop up distressed hospitals amid federal Medicaid cuts
Bernard J. Wolfson, KFF Health, May 5
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Hospital in Los Angeles is struggling for financial stability. Its patients are poorer and sicker than average, many of them are uninsured, and three-quarters of the hospital’s revenue comes from Medi-Cal, California’s Medicaid program. Similar problems plague hundreds of financially vulnerable hospitals around the country. Their financial issues are about to get worse, when Medicaid cuts occur. An estimated 14 million people are expected to become uninsured over the next decade, many of whom will go to already crowded emergency rooms to get care they can’t pay for. As a result, hospitals and patient advocates are looking to state lawmakers and local officials for help.
Torrington health center reopens dental services after yearlong pause
Cris Villalonga-Vivoni, CT Insider, April 22
Dental services at a federally qualified health center in Torrington have reopened after a yearlong pause due to underfunding. Community Health & Wellness Center (CHWC) was among several community health centers that had to scale back dental care because Medicaid reimbursement for services did not cover the cost. About 60% of patients of federally qualified health centers in Connecticut are covered by Medicaid. CHWC was able to restore some dental services thanks to an agreement to phase in some reimbursement increases over the next three years. However, upcoming Medicaid cuts and new eligibility requirements are a concern, because many patients may lose coverage altogether.
As more of us get older, the need grows for skilled home care workers
Michayla Savitt, Connecticut Public Radio, April 29
By 2060, the number of people in Connecticut age 65 or older is expected to double. That means there will be a bigger need for long-term care. But the supply of skilled workers is not keeping up with demand. Direct caregivers are not paid enough for the physical and emotional work they do. And these workers are disproportionately women, people of color and immigrants. Medicaid is the biggest source of payment for long-term care both in Connecticut and nationwide. Experts say the state’s Medicaid reimbursement rate hasn’t kept up with inflation, which contributes to stagnant wages for workers who provide care to those covered by Medicaid.
Mental health issues are now the top cause of maternal deaths
Jennifer Porter Gore, Word in Black, May 6
Compared to white women, Black women are far more likely to suffer from pregnancy-related complications or die. An increasing amount of deaths are due to mental health conditions. For Black women, the percentage nearly doubled from 2021 to 2022. Studies show Black women report suicidal thoughts at roughly twice the rate in the months after childbirth, and face more barriers to diagnosis, treatment, and consistent care. Experts say these barriers, as well as unequal access to health care and a higher exposure to violence, are fueling a maternal health crisis.