Medicaid

HOSPITALS PLEAD WITH CONGRESS TO AVOID CUTS

By Ashley Murray, Kansas Reflector CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Photo: CC by Bing

September 15, 2023 (Washington, D.C.) -- Health care representatives from across the United States are urging Congress to halt cuts to funding that helps hospitals care for uninsured or low-income patients who rely on Medicaid.

More than 250 hospitals and health systems appealed to House and Senate leadership in a letter Thursday asking the lawmakers to avert or delay a forthcoming $8 billion cut to “America’s health care safety net.”


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REPORT: 2 MILLION CALIFORNIANS COULD LOSE MEDI-CAL COVERAGE BY NEXT YEAR

Suzanne Potter, California News Service

February 28, 2023 (Sacramento) -- Two million children and adults in California could lose health-insurance coverage over the next year - as the state winds down the continuous-coverage requirements in place during COVID, according to a new report from Georgetown University. The pandemic health emergency officially ends May first, but on April first California will start re-determining eligibility for 50-million people on Medi-Cal.

Mike Odeh, senior director of health with the non-profit Children Now and report lead author, said recipients must make sure the program has their current address.

"The state has been proactive in asking families to make sure that their contact information is up to date. And we know that they have launched a campaign," Odeh said. "So families can visit keepmedicalcoverage.org to sign up for email and text message alerts with updates about medical renewals."

Children who are still eligible could lose coverage if the renewal notice goes to the wrong address or if there is an administrative error. During the pandemic emergency, the state was required to keep all Medi-Cal recipients on the program. But now the income requirements will kick in once again. More than 56% of kids in California and 52% nationwide are covered under Medicaid or CHIP.


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STATE AND COUNTY TO END COVID-19 EMERGENCY FEB. 28, THOUGH OUTBREAKS REMAIN

 

As federal emergency also ends, Medicaid recipients could lose benefits if they don’t re-enroll by March 31

Federal funds for free COVID testing and vaccines will also come to an end

By Miriam Raftery

February 7, 2023 (San Diego) – The County of San Diego will end the nearly 3-year-old COVID-19 emergency on February 28, the same date that the state of California’s emergency declaration ends. The federal government will halt the national public health emergency on May 11.

But outbreaks remain a threat locally and elsewhere. While vaccines and treatments have sharply reduced the death rate from the early days of the pandemic, 12 people died locally in the week ending February 2, when more than 1,800 cases were confirmed and 300 people were hospitalized from the coronavirus.

Over the past three years, more than 976,000 San Diegans have laboratory confirmed positive tests for COVID-19, more than 38,500 have been hospitalized and 5,728 died.

Local health officials urge residents to get the new booster vaccines for protection against recent variants. Nearly 2.7 million San Diegans have received the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines and more than 560,000 have received a bivalent booster vaccine.


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BIDEN BOOSTS COVID VACCINE PRODUCTION, WILL REOPEN ACA ENROLLMENT

By Miriam Raftery

January 27, 2021 (Washington D.C.) – President Joe Biden’s national strategy to combat COVID-19, includes orders to purchase 200 million more vaccine doses from Pfizer and Moderna, boosting supply to 600 million. He also announced ramped up distribution of vaccines by next week to states and tribal governments.

This week he also plans to sign an executive order to reopen open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act health insurance policies, since so many out of work Americans have lost healthcare during the pandemic. Biden also plans to make it easier for low-income people to join Medicaid by rolling back certain restrictions imposed by the Trump administration, CNN reports.

In addition, Biden has ordered increased production of the vaccines  with the expectation that all of the 368 million Americans who want to be vaccinated will have vaccines available this spring, a pace dramatically accelerated over the prior administration both in numbers of vaccines available and pace of distribution.


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TRUMP BUDGET SLASHES SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID IN VIOLATION OF CAMPAIGN PROMISES

By Miriam Raftery

March 14, 2019 (Washington D.C.) – In direct contradiction to his campaign trail promises not to cut Social Security, Medicare or Medicaid, President Donald Trump has proposed a budget that would deeply slash all of these programs—programs which help the elderly, the poor and the disabled.

“I was the first & only potential GOP candidate to state there will be no cuts to Social Security, Medicare & Medicaid,” Trump tweeted on May 7, 2015, adding, “Huckabee copied me.”  He repeated that pledge in media interviews and at rallies.

His proposed new budget, however, would cut trillions of dollars from Medicaid and Medicare. Social Security would also be slashed by $25 million over the next 10 years, including whacking $10 billion from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for people who are unable work.

The administration claims it will make up for these deep cuts in Social Security,Medicare and Medicaid programs by finding waste, fraud and abuse. But if not enough waste, fraud or abuse is found--and there have been years of efforts to do--benefits to recipients could be reduced reduced and some poor, disabled and elderly Americans might be denied medical or disability coverage completely.


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MEDICARE AND MEDICAID CUTS PROPOSED BY GOP BUDGET

 

By Miriam Raftery

October 15, 2018 (Washington D.C.) — A budget proposed by House Republicans would cut Medicare, the federal healthcare program for senior citizens and the disabled, by $537 billion.

That violates a campaign promise made by Donald Trump when he was running for President and pledged, “Republicans believe that a Medicare program that was created for seniors and paid for by seniors their entire lives should always be protected and preserved.”


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COURT BANS FORCED ARBITRATION AT NURSING HOMES THAT TAKE FEDERAL FUNDS

 

East County News Service

October 2, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – This week, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid announce a new rule barring forced arbitration requirements at nursing homes that accept federal funds.


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MEDICARE TURNS 50, CALIFORNIA CHILDREN EXCEL

 

By Suzanne Potter, Public News Service

Photo credit: iStockphoto.com

July 31, 2015 (California)--Medicaid, or Medi-Cal as it's known in California, turns 50 years old this week – and a new study shows it has improved the lives of millions since its inception in 1965.

The Georgetown Center for Children and Families examined data on Americans who utilized Medicaid benefits as children, and found they are much healthier as adults. Participants tended to have lower blood pressure, and continue to make fewer emergency room visits, ultimately saving taxpayer dollars.


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DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR TAX DOLLARS ARE GOING?

 

April 21, 2014 (San Diego’s East County) --The deadline for paying your federal income taxes on April 15th is now passed.

But do you know where your tax dollars are going?  You may be surprised to find out just what the federal government is prioritizing – and what it’s not.


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REPORT: MORE CALIFORNIA CHILDREN HAVE HEALTH INSURANCE

 

December 11, 2013 (San Diego’s East County-) -- More California children are getting the health care coverage they need. According to a report from Georgetown University's Center for Children and Families, more than 100,000 California kids gained health insurance between 2010 and 2012, which puts the state's uninsured rate among children at about 8 percent.

Despite high poverty rates and a weak economic recovery, said the Georgetown Center's executive director, Joan Alker, children's access to health coverage is improving through federal and state programs.


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MILLILONS OF CALIFORNIA SENIORS, CHILDREN AND DISABLED COULD BE HARMED BY LAME DUCK CONGRESSIONAL DEAL TO CUT SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE AND MEDICAID

Opponents to deliver photos of loved ones to be harmed by cuts at Rep. Hunter's office Wed. 

November 27, 2012 (Oakland)--Nearly 5 million Californians could be negatively impacted if Congress cuts Social Security, including 662,232 people with disabilities and 364,365 children, according to a new AFL-CIO report.

Of 11 million Californians who get health care coverage from Medicaid, 4.4 million children and nearly a million seniors could be affected if the lame duck Congress cuts Medicaid benefits. As the “fiscal cliff” approaches, members of Congress have suggested cutting these safety net programs, while calling for extending tax cuts benefitting the richest 2%.


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CALIFORNIA RECEIVES FIRST-IN-THE-NATION APPROVAL OF NEW COMMUNITY-BASED CARE OPTION FOR AT-RISK SENIORS AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

State to receive estimated $573 million in additional Medicaid funds.

September 5, 2012 (Sacramento) – The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced its approval today of California’s State Plan Amendment (SPA) to enact the Community First Choice Option.  The SPA approval will provide the state with an estimated $573 million in additional federal funds during the first two years of implementation in its effort to continue to prioritize an individual’s ability to reside in one’s community rather than in institutional care.


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HOW TO PROTECT YOUR FAMILY'S ASSETS FROM DEVASTATING NURSING HOME COSTS

 

 
July 10, 2011 (San Diego) -- It’s the conversation people don’t have until they have to, but by then, it’s too late. The fact is that in 2010, more than 7,000 people turned 65 years old or older every single day, a figure that is predicted to rise in 2011. Further, an AARP survey revealed that only 4 in 10 of those people feel they will be financially secure for their golden years.
 
 
 

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SYLVIA’S SOAPBOX: GET THE FACTS ON MEDICARE AND THE NEW HEALTH-REFORM LAW

DON'T BELIEVE DECEPTIVE POLITICAL ADS, FACTCHECK.ORG WARNS CONSUMERS
By Sylvia Hampton


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