Medicaid providers have taken hits in reduced state funding, potentially making health care more difficult to come by for the 60 million low-income patients covered by the program. Federal stimulus funding of $50 million in 2010 and $60 million in 2011 to beef up the program went away July 1, making it tough for states to maintain funding levels. [More]
medicaid
Study: Dentists Less Likely To Treat Kids On Medicaid
By 5.23.11
Dentists in Cook County, IL, were more likely to provide emergency treatment to children who had private insurance than to those on Medicaid, even if the dentists were enrolled in the state’s Medicaid program, according to a new study. Medicaid typically pays less than private insurance plans, and experts say there’s “little market motivation” for practitioners to take on those patients, rather than just going with those who have private insurance. [More]
Illinois Blue Cross To Pay $25 Million After Denying Coverage To Sick Kids In Need Of Nursing Care
By 2.24.11
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the largest health insurer in the Land of Lincoln, has agreed to pay $25 million to settle allegations that it denied coverage to sick kids who needed nursing care. [More]
Only 56% Of Dialysis Technicians Pass New Skills Test
By 1.26.11
Almost half of the dialysis technicians in California are failing a new Federally-mandated skills test, throwing the industry’s tarnished reputation under the magnifying glass once again. [More]
Feds Sue New York City For Overbilling Medicaid
By 1.13.11
Saying it’s caught New York City’s hand in the Medicaid cookie jar, the federal government has sued the city, claiming it billed Medicaid for “at least tens of millions of dollars” more than it was legally allowed. [More]
Obama Says Hospitals Must Allow Visitation Rights
By 4.16.10
President Obama issued a memo last night instructing HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to write rules that will allow patients to designate visitors at facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid. This move would benefit same-sex couples, unmarried heterosexual couples, widowed adults, members of religious orders and others who want to have someone other than an immediate family member as a visitor or decision maker for medical care, notes the WSJ Health Blog. [More]
This Is How You Debate Health Care Reform, Brooklyn Style!
By 3.21.10
“The Republican Party is a wholly-owned subsidiary of the insurance industry.” So said Rep. Anthony Weiner of Brooklyn last month in front of Congress. As we move towards a historic vote on health care reform, let’s take a moment to throw some gas on the fire and revisit some of the awesomely incendiary rhetoric of this statesman on revamping our health care system. Now this a healthy health care debate! [More]
Dentist Accused Of Using Paper Clips During Root Canals
By 3.16.10
Paper clips are really handy. You can use them for things like hitting that tiny reset button on your DVR and, well, clipping paper. And according to the Attorney General’s office in Massachusetts, one dentist was using them in patients’ mouths during root canals. [More]
Obama Mulls Over Republican Tweaks To Health Care Plan
By 3.2.10
A week after unveiling the White House version of the proposed National Health Care Plan, President Obama says he’s opened his ears up to a handful of suggestions from the Republicans. [More]
Obama Wants To Expand Coverage To 31 Million Uninsured People In Health Care Plan
By 2.22.10
Using the Health Care bill signed by the Senate on Dec. 24 as a jumping-off point, President Obama unleashed his version of the plan this morning on the White House website. [More]
New Study Suggests Drug Ads Ineffective, But Expensive For Consumers
By 11.30.09
Researchers at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver looked at sales figures and prices for the blood thinner Plavix after direct-to-consumer advertising started in 2001. What they found was that the campaign was largely ineffective at increasing prescribing rates, but that the price of the drug shot up 12% almost immediately to cover the cost of the marketing campaign. [More]
How Would Health Care Reform Affect You?
By 9.25.09
Consumers Union has put together a breakdown of the health care bills in Congress to let you see how they would affect you, based on your age and what kind of insurance you currently have (if any). It’s an interesting tool to see what the various proposed changes are.
Free Health Care Receives Rock Star Reception In Los Angeles
By 8.13.09
The past few nights, thousands of people have lined up outside of the Forum in Los Angeles. a venue that usually hosts basketball games or big arena concerts. Who’s in town to attract such a crowd? Metallica? Green Day? No, even better—doctors and dentists providing free care on a first-come, first-served basis.
CVS Employee Calls Customer A 'Fucking AIDS Freak'
By 9.10.08
His response was “Whatever, somebody needs to come deal with this because I’m about to go off…”
Walgreens Pill-Flipping Scheme Costs Taxpayers Millions
By 6.16.08
Thanks to an anonymous whistle-blower, a Walgreens pill-flipping scheme has been blown wide open, according to CBS. “Pill-flipping” refers the practice of pharmacies that purposefully switch Medicaid patients to more expensive versions of certain drugs for the sole reason of collecting more money from the government. Naturally, when this happens, taxpayers pick up the bill. Athough, Walgreen’s officially denies any wrongdoing they have agreed to pay the government more than $35 million. Details, inside…
CVS To Pay $36.7 Million For Improperly Switching Medications
By 3.18.08
CVS has settled a lawsuit that alleges the pharmacy giant improperly switched customers to a more expensive form of their medication in order to collect more money from Medicaid.
America's 52 Worst Nursing Homes
By 12.3.07
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released the first-ever
By 10.16.07
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“U.S. taxpayers and Medicare patients could have saved almost $15 billion in 2007 if private health insurers had cut expenses for prescription drug coverage and negotiated bigger discounts,” according to a newly released (Democratic) government report. [Reuters]
