Congress this week concluded work on the Continuing Extension Act of 2010 (HR 4851), also referred to as the “extensions bill.” House passage came Thursday evening a few hours after the Senate passed an amended version of the bill, and the president signed it shortly after that.
In addition to extending expanded unemployment benefits through the end of May, the short-term legislation would extend COBRA health insurance subsidies for the unemployed and higher payments for physicians who treat Medicare patients. It also would extend a national flood insurance program and the use of 2009 poverty guidelines for federal programs.
The short-term extension package is designed to buy time for House and Senate negotiators to reach a deal on the American Workers, State and Business Relief Act of 2010 (HR 4213), which extends the unemployment benefits through the end of the year and the temporary FMAP increase originally passed as part of the Recovery Act through June 2011. ANCOR members are encouraged to call their members of Congress and encourage them to swiftly resolve the differences in HR 4213.
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Friday, April 16, 2010
Florida House Proposes Managed Care for People with Developmental Disabilities
Two bills have been drafted by the Florida House Select Policy Council on Strategic & Economic Planning that will require all purchased services to people with developmental disabilities funded through Medicaid be administered by a HMO or Provider Service Network. The drafts are expected to go directly to the floor of the House for consideration. The Florida Senate is expected to consider this or another similar plan next week. Thank you to Joe Aneillo for letting ANCOR know of this development.
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Thursday, April 15, 2010
Andy Stern Announces Retirement as SEIU President
Andy Stern, president of the Service Employees International Union, officially announced his retirement on Wednesday, after 14 years at the helm of the 2.2-million member union.
While it was originally speculated that Stern would leave when his term ended in 2012, his immediate retirement puts SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger in the role of interim-president until the union’s International Executive Board votes on Stern’s successor. The SEIU constitution stipulates that the IEB must schedule an election within 30 days.
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While it was originally speculated that Stern would leave when his term ended in 2012, his immediate retirement puts SEIU Secretary-Treasurer Anna Burger in the role of interim-president until the union’s International Executive Board votes on Stern’s successor. The SEIU constitution stipulates that the IEB must schedule an election within 30 days.
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Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Kansas Lawsuit Filed Against Huge Medicaid Cuts Denied
The Kansas Supreme Court last week said it lacked jurisdiction to take up a lawsuit filed on behalf of Kansans with disabilities. The action leaves open the door for litigation to be filed in a lower district court as groups representing the disabled reel from a 10 percent cut in Medicaid reimbursements.
The case stems from a 10 percent cut to funding for Medicaid reimbursements—money that Governor Parkinson (D) said he wants to see restored even as lawmakers battle a budget gap now exceeding $400 million. He called restoring the funds "critical."
The 10 percent cut, which was implemented in January, eliminates $22.7 million in state funds for Medicaid programs this year. Of that, about $6.2 million affected services for people with disabilities and mental health programs. The state-level cuts also meant the state lost significant matching federal funds, which pay about 70 percent of Medicaid costs.
The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has seen its waiting list for people with developmental disabilities seeking home and community-based services expand to 2,236 as of February 28. That is up from 1,397 in July 2008 and 1,655 in July 2009.
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The case stems from a 10 percent cut to funding for Medicaid reimbursements—money that Governor Parkinson (D) said he wants to see restored even as lawmakers battle a budget gap now exceeding $400 million. He called restoring the funds "critical."
The 10 percent cut, which was implemented in January, eliminates $22.7 million in state funds for Medicaid programs this year. Of that, about $6.2 million affected services for people with disabilities and mental health programs. The state-level cuts also meant the state lost significant matching federal funds, which pay about 70 percent of Medicaid costs.
The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has seen its waiting list for people with developmental disabilities seeking home and community-based services expand to 2,236 as of February 28. That is up from 1,397 in July 2008 and 1,655 in July 2009.
Read more!
Mississippi Health Care Association Files Suit to Stop Medicaid Cuts
The Mississippi Health Care Association, the Independent Nursing Home Association and dozens of nursing homes from across the state filed a lawsuit Thursday seeking to stop the Mississippi Division of Medicaid from making a planned $14 million cut in payments to providers.
The lawsuit filed in Hinds County Chancery Court late Thursday afternoon argues that state reserve funds can be used to shore up the Medicaid budget and the cuts are unnecessary.
The suit seeks an injunction to stop the cuts over the uncertainty of "adequate funding" for providers. The cuts are pending federal permission.
Mississippi Medicaid recently announced plans to cut $14 million in reimbursements to health care providers for services for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, because of successive months of revenue collections below estimates. However, tax revenue collections were on target in March.
Calls by Democratic lawmakers to dip into state reserves to close the gap have been rebuked by Governor Barbour (R), who argues the state's savings needs to last for several years.
The largest chunk of money went to public education, and Medicaid was not on the restoration list. About $14 million of an $82 million budget patch-up plan approved by lawmakers, however, was provided via a stimulus-related federal government reimbursement to the Division of Medicaid.
Read more!
The lawsuit filed in Hinds County Chancery Court late Thursday afternoon argues that state reserve funds can be used to shore up the Medicaid budget and the cuts are unnecessary.
The suit seeks an injunction to stop the cuts over the uncertainty of "adequate funding" for providers. The cuts are pending federal permission.
Mississippi Medicaid recently announced plans to cut $14 million in reimbursements to health care providers for services for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends June 30, because of successive months of revenue collections below estimates. However, tax revenue collections were on target in March.
Calls by Democratic lawmakers to dip into state reserves to close the gap have been rebuked by Governor Barbour (R), who argues the state's savings needs to last for several years.
The largest chunk of money went to public education, and Medicaid was not on the restoration list. About $14 million of an $82 million budget patch-up plan approved by lawmakers, however, was provided via a stimulus-related federal government reimbursement to the Division of Medicaid.
Read more!
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
CMS Initial Medicaid Guidance on Section 2001 of Health Care Law Establishing New Eligibility Group (April 9, 2010)
CMS released initial Medicaid guidance on Section 2001 of Health Care Law Establishing New Eligibility Group. To view the document click here.
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