Medicaid

HHS Secretary Alex Azar on Friday systematically attacked drug manufacturers’ criticisms of the Trump administration’s plan to implement international price referencing for prescription drugs in Medicare Part B, saying despite strong denunciations, he does not think drug makers will play a “game of chicken” and walk away.

Congress' Medicaid advisers on Thursday (Oct. 25) discussed potential new methods for structuring the Medicaid Disproportionate Share Hospital payment reductions, which would require legislative changes, and aim to include recommendations for Congress in their March report.

Veteran election handicapper Charlie Cook believes deep budget cuts to social programs, including Medicaid, in some red states could hurt Republican candidates running for gubernatorial and state legislative seats in next month's midterm elections.

Anthem Inc. Public Policy Director Doug Saunders implored state officials, advocates and stakeholders to consider other options to shore up their local health insurance markets before turning to Medicaid buy-in, cautioning that such a program could hurt both the commercial insurance markets and Medicaid enrollees.

CMS has approved Virginia’s plan to expand Medicaid and the state will begin enrolling beneficiaries in the expansion population Nov. 1, with coverage taking effect in 2019, Gov. Ralph Northam (D) announced Thursday (Oct. 18).

American Medical Association President Barbara McAneny on Tuesday (Oct. 16) raised concerns with a single-payer system based on Medicare, as well as a Medicaid buy-in being pursued in New Mexico, and said that moving people from commercial coverage to government-funded health care programs could cause practices to close, especially in rural areas, due to inadequate reimbursement.

State politicians and advocacy groups in New Mexico expect the state to pass a Medicaid buy-in program during the 2019 legislative session and hope the plan will serve as a model for other states considering the option.

Another 4,109 Medicaid beneficiaries have lost their coverage for the rest of the year for failing to comply with the state’s new Medicaid work requirements, according to data released by the state Monday (Oct. 15).

Pew Charitable Trusts says states could use a subscription-based model to buy hepatitis C drugs without triggering the Medicaid best price law by routing the medications through 340B hospitals.