Tag: Medicaid news

Medicaid report shows little difference from the private sector

News on Medicaid health insurance

Medicaid offers nearly identical level of coverage As health insurance in the U.S. continues to be a controversial issue, the Government Accountability Office, the investigative arm of Congress, has released a new report concerning the much-debated Medicaid program. Under the Affordable Care Act, which was passed in 2010, states are required to expand the accessibility of their Medicaid programs. These states are meant to receive some degree of aid from the federal government, but many have opposed the notion of expanding their programs due to the high costs that would…

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Insurance Dialogue launched new website to help people obtain coverage from Medicare

S.Vagus

Insurance Dialogue, a company serving as a liaison between consumers and insurers, has launched a new initiative to boost enrollment in the federal Medicare program. The company has developed a website that aims to help consumers find the Medicare plans that are best suited to their needs. The website, RightMedicare.com, is part of an overarching endeavor to raise awareness of health insurance amongst those that may need it most. Many of these people may not be aware that they are eligible to receive coverage through the program, especially as health…

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The criteria that states must meet for health insurance exchange marketplace

Julie Campbell

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is awarding 13 states as well as Washington D.C. a total of $185 million to help to fund the planning and creation of the state-based insurance exchanges that are required by the federal healthcare overhaul. Each will receive a different amount as their portion of the total. For example, California will receive $38 million in order to create its exchange. The governors of the recipient states received a letter from secretary Kathleen Sebelius of HHS, which described the various options and resources…

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Blue Cross Insurers look to expand into the Medicaid market

Independence Blue Cross, one of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s largest health insurance companies, is looking to expand into the Medicaid market. The company has been spending millions of dollars in the effort to carve out a larger share of the market. The Medicaid market has become a popular target for health insurers looking to offer affordable coverage to those that have fallen on hard economic times. Independence Blue Cross already holds a prominent place in this particular market, but is looking to further its hold as the market grows more lucrative. Michigan’s…

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Study shows higher Medicaid primary care spending linked to lower hospitalization spending

A Medicaid study published in the Health Affairs Journal in July 2011, has shown that in some states, there is a link between spending more in Medicaid primary care and spending less on hospitalizations. It has been widely accepted by health policy experts that spending in Medicaid varies significantly from one state to another, and among the regions within those states. However, what is not as evident is the way in which the prices and the usage patterns impact the Medicaid spending differences among the states. What had also not…

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