Medicaid

Some stakeholders and lobbyists worry the Trump administration will issue a controversial Medicaid supplemental pay rule before leaving office -- despite CMS Administrator Seema Verma’s statement in September that CMS was scrapping the rule -- as Verma recently said CMS was slowing down its work on the rule in order to get it right but still stood behind the rule’s goals.

When the Supreme Court hears the challenge to the Affordable Care Act on Tuesday (Nov. 10), prescription drug policies are at stake in addition to the future of the insurance exchanges.

Should former Vice President Joe Biden win the White House and Republicans retain control of the Senate, health policy experts predict Biden’s more-aggressive health reform proposals, like a public option or a Medicare buy-in, would be off table in the near term, but other legislative fixes to the Affordable Care Act could transpire.

While the presidential race remained undeclared Tuesday night, Republican nominees swept in governors’ races where Medicaid is in the spotlight, which means a likely continued push towards controversial Medicaid policies such as work requirements.

While the presidential race remained undeclared Tuesday night, Republican nominees swept in governors’ races where Medicaid is in the spotlight, which means a likely continued push towards controversial Medicaid policies such as work requirements.

A federal judge has struck down the Trump administration’s controversial public charge rule, declaring it should immediately be vacated nationwide, the latest in the ongoing legal battle over the administration’s effort to deny certain legal immigrants government benefits including Medicaid.

Congress’ Medicaid advisers are weighing whether to recommend that Congress mandate non-emergency medical transportation be covered by Medicaid, responding to a congressional call for CMS to hold off on any moves to change the benefit until the advisers weigh in.

CMS on Wednesday (Oct. 28) said states may terminate coverage for certain Medicaid beneficiaries who weren’t “validly enrolled” during the public health emergency and still receive an enhanced federal Medicaid match, despite initially saying the first coronavirus stimulus bill prevented states from doing so.

Oklahoma is making its latest push to change its Medicaid system, now soliciting proposals from managed care organizations with plans to fully implement a privatized Medicaid program for most beneficiaries in October 2021.