HMA Weekly Roundup

Need to round out your collection of Weekly Roundups?

Access pdfs of this weekly newsletter’s archived issues.

 

  • This week our In Focus checks in on the Medicaid unwinding work and key issues HMA experts are watching as more states resume their normal policies and processes for determining eligibility. Read More
    Roundup:

    Medicaid Redeterminations New: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota. Texas, West Virginia, Wyoming

    Arkansas Submits Request for Medicaid Expansion Work Requirements

    Georgia Cancels RFQC for Medicaid Managed Care Plans

    Iowa Enacts Legislation Tightening Medicaid Eligibility Verification

    Nevada Medicaid Drug Spending Rose 126 Percent from 2017 to 2022

    New Mexico to Extend Medicaid Managed Care Contracts Additional 6 Months

    New Mexico to Expand Access to Medicaid Payments for Medical, Behavioral Health Services in Schools

    Pennsylvania Seeks to Implement Selective Contracting for IDD Residential, Supports Coordination Services

    South Dakota Receives Federal Approval to Implement Medicaid Expansion in July

    Elevance Health Names Natalie Cooper President of Amerigroup Tennessee

    Texas Names Emily Zalkovsky as State Medicaid Director

    Merck Seeks Injunction to Block Medicare Drug Negotiation Program

    UnitedHealth/Optum Makes Unsolicited $3.26 Billion Bid for Amedisys

  • This week, our In Focus section describes a new collaboration between Health Management Associates and the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Read More
    Roundup:

    Arizona Delays Implementation of Housing, Health Opportunities Waiver to October 2024

    California Individual Mandate Generates $1.1 Billion in Fines Since 2020

    Georgia Disenrolls 2,200 Medicaid Beneficiaries During April Redeterminations

    Indiana Disenrolls 53,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries During First Month of Redeterminations

    Kentucky Subcommittee Again Finds Deficiencies in Rules Extending Dental, Vision, Hearing Benefits to Medicaid Beneficiaries

    Minnesota Enacts Legislation to Provide Comprehensive Dental Benefits to All Medicaid Beneficiaries

    Missouri Uses Ex Parte Renewal Process for 47 Percent of April Medicaid Eligibility Redeterminations

    Oregon to Disenroll 8,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries Following April Redeterminations

    Rhode Island Releases Medicaid Managed Care RFI; New Procurement Expected Fall 2023

    Wisconsin Could Disenroll Up to 300,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries During Redeterminations, Report Finds

    Medicaid Disenrollments to Date Are Largely for Administrative Reasons, CMS Says

    Medicaid Enrollment to Decrease by More Than 12 Million by 2025, CBO Projects

    CVS/Oak Street Health to Expand Into Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Virginia

    AHIP President, CEO to Step Down in October

    Medicaid Directors to Discuss Challenges, Opportunities at HMA Conference in Chicago

  • Health Management Associates has announced the preliminary lineup of speakers for its sixth annual conference, Innovations in Publicly Sponsored Healthcare: How Medicaid, Medicare, and Marketplaces Are Driving Value, Equity, and Growth. Read More
    Roundup:

    California Proposes Increasing Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Providers

    Florida Disenrolls 250,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries Since Redeterminations Began

    Iowa Releases Dental RFP for Iowa Dental Wellness Plan, Hawki

    Iowa Expects 3,000 Individuals to Lose Medicaid Coverage by June 1

    Massachusetts Considers Increasing Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Substance Use Disorder Treatment Providers

    Minnesota Legislature Passes Bill to Set Minimum Wages, Benefits for Nursing Home Staff

    Nebraska Passes Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Act

    Nevada to Transition to Medicaid Managed Care in Rural Areas

    Nevada Senate Considers Bill to Reimburse Rural Hospitals at Cost for Outpatient Services

    New Hampshire House Committee Subdivision Votes to Hold Medicaid Reauthorization Bill for a Year

    Texas Senate Passes Bill to Extend Postpartum Medicaid Coverage

    Vermont Lawmakers Approve 50 Percent Increase in Fiscal 2024 Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Dental Services

    Washington Legislature to Increase Medicaid Reimbursement Rates for Nursing Homes by 14 Percent for Two Years

    CMS Releases Regulatory Requirements for State MES Modules

    HCA Healthcare Acquires TX Urgent Care Centers from FastMed

  • This week our In Focus section reviews the Illinois Healthcare Transformation 1115 Waiver Extension request, posted for review on May 12, 2023. Read More
    Roundup:

    Arkansas Is Urged by Healthcare Groups to Pause Medicaid Redeterminations

    Delaware Medicaid Expenses Are Projected to Increase Despite Redeterminations

    Florida Releases Medicaid Prepaid Dental Program RFI, To Release RFP Summer 2023

    Florida Releases D-SNP RFI, Considers Moving 300,000 Medicaid Members from D-SNPs to SMMC

    Illinois to Address Social Determinants of Health in 1115 Behavioral Health Waiver Amendments

    Indiana Enacts Legislation to Reform Long-term Care

    North Dakota Releases Medicaid Enterprise Technical Systems Integrator RFP

    Ohio Releases PACE Expansion RFP

    Virginia to Release Medicaid NEMT RFP in September 2023

    Virginia Disenrolls 20,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries During Redeterminations

    Federal Appeals Court Temporarily Blocks Overturning of ACA Preventive Services Requirement

    Wisconsin Approves Humana’s Proposed Purchase of Inclusa

    Sentara to Consolidate Medicaid Plans in Virginia

  • This week’s In Focus is the second in a two-part look at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS’s) recently proposed changes to the Medicaid program. Last week we covered CMS’s proposed changes to the federal Medicaid managed care Read More
    Roundup:

    Arizona Legislature Approves $3.4 Billion for Fiscal 2023 Medicaid Managed Care Payments

    Arkansas Disenrolls Almost 73,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries During April Redeterminations

    Georgia Community Health Commissioner to Step Down Summer 2023

    Idaho Finds 29,000 Ineligible Medicaid Beneficiaries During Redeterminations Healthy Blue

    Kansas Hires President Ahead of Bid on Medicaid Contract

    HAP, CareSource Form Partnership to Serve Michigan Medicaid Beneficiaries

    Rhode Island Senate Passes Bill to Use Medicaid Funds to Help Homeless Beneficiaries Find Housing

    Virginia Plan to Cut Medicaid Payments for Preventable ER Visits Is Vacated by Federal Judge

    1.7 Million Medicaid Beneficiaries Could Lose Coverage if Work Requirements are Implemented, KFF Projects

    Option Health Care To Acquire Amedisys

    Cano Health Looks to Sell Non-core Assets, Focus on Medicare Advantage

  • This week, our In Focus section reviews CMS’s proposed changes to the federal Medicaid managed care access, finance, and quality regulation (CMS-2439-P). Read More
    Roundup:

    Alabama Releases Integrated Care Network Program RFP

    Arkansas Proposes Medicaid Work Requirements for Expansion Program

    Florida Legislature Passes Bill to Regulate PBMs

    Florida House Passes Bill to Create Pilot Program Providing Medicaid Managed Care Coverage to Individuals with IDD

    Georgia Enacts Law to Create State-based Insurance Exchange

    Louisiana Candidates for Governor Promise to Keep Medicaid Expansion

    Mississippi Medicaid Beneficiaries Are No Longer Responsible for Copays

    Nevada Expands Dental Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries with IDD

    Nevada Releases Baseline Medicaid Enrollment Report Ahead of Redeterminations

    New York to Gradually Redirect Medicaid Funding from Counties

    Tennessee Medicaid to Cover Cost of Diapers for First Two Years

    Washington Publishes Plan to Remove Barriers to Access for Health, Human Services Benefits

    Medicare Advantage Enrollment Surpasses Traditional Medicare in January

    Centene to Sell Apixio to New Mountain Capital

    BCBS-MI, BCBS-VT to Pursue Affiliation

  • This week our In Focus section reviews guidance from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), released on April 17, 2023, encouraging states to apply for the new Medicaid Reentry Section 1115 Demonstration Opportunity. Read More
    Roundup:

    Arizona Requests Additional $3.3 Billion in Fiscal 2023 for Medicaid Managed Care Payments

    Redeterminations News: California, Georgia, Indiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Pennsylvania

    Colorado Enacts Legislation Eliminating Medicaid Co-pays for Pharmacy, Outpatient Services

    Illinois Health Benefits Program for Immigrant Seniors, Adults Is Expected to Enroll 98,500

    Maryland Releases Medicaid Managed Care External Quality Review RFP

    Washington Requests Medicaid Coverage for Former Foster Youth, Continuous CHIP Enrollment for Children Up to Age Six

    U.S. Senators Introduce Legislation to Ban PBM Spread Pricing

    Kaiser Permanente to Acquire Geisinger Health

  • This week, our In Focus reviews the policy changes proposed by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) on April 10, 2023 for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Medicare Hospital Inpatient Prospective Payment System (IPPS) and Long-Term Acute Care Read More
    Roundup:

    Arkansas Legislature May Hold Special Session on Medicaid Spending

    Florida House Passes Bill to Increase Income Threshold for KidCare Coverage

    Georgia to Recommend Rate Increase for Providers Caring for Individuals with Disabilities

    Illinois Receives Federal Approval for Additional Medicaid Funding in Schools

    Iowa House Passes Bill to Create Medicaid Eligibility Verification System

    Nevada to Review Medicaid HCBS Rate Setting Methodology

    Pennsylvania Releases RFP for a Medicaid, CHIP EQRO

    South Dakota to Implement Medicaid Expansion on July 1

    Wisconsin Releases RFI for Eligibility Determination System

    HHS Projects 6.8 Million Eligible Medicaid Beneficiaries Will Be Disenrolled During Redeterminations

    Biden Administration Encourages States to Apply for Medicaid Reentry 1115 Demonstration for Individuals in Carceral Settings

    Humana to Invest Another $40 Million in Affordable Housing

  • This week our In Focus section reviews the Florida Statewide Medicaid Managed Care Program (SMMC) Invitation to Negotiate (ITN), released on April 11, 2023, by the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA). Read More
    Roundup:

    Alabama House Committee Holds Meeting on Medicaid Expansion

    California to Seek Approval for Voluntary Medicaid Capitated Payment Model for FQHCs

    California Medi-Cal To Comply With Federal Law, Continue Business with Walgreens

    Delaware Struggles to Investigate Complaints Against Assisted Living, Nursing Facilities

    Georgia Proposes Using Directed Payments to Make Up for Financial Losses at Rural Hospitals

    Michigan to Release Medicaid Managed Care RFP in Fall 2023

    New Jersey Receives Approval for Medicaid Waiver on Coordinating Behavioral Health, Covering Social Needs

    New York Medicaid Audit Finds $184 Million in Uncollected Drug Rebates

    Oregon Medicaid Beneficiaries Struggle to Access Mental Health Care Despite Relatively High Medicaid Rates, Study Finds

    Pennsylvania Lawmakers Debate Medicaid Dental Benefits During Budget Hearing

    Texas Files Federal Lawsuit Over Medicaid Provider Tax Policy Change

    CMS Proposes 2.8 Percent Medicare Rate Increase for Hospitals that Meet Quality Reporting, Meaningful Use Standards

    Medicaid Enrollment to Settle At Higher Than Pre-Pandemic Levels in Many States, Analysis Finds

    Froedtert Health, ThedaCare to Merge

  • This week, our In Focus section reviews the recently announced major policy updates from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) that affect the Medicare Advantage (MA) and Part D programs. Read More
    Roundup:

    Arizona to Award $40 Million to HCBS Providers

    California, Michigan Consider Legislation to Ensure Preventive Care Coverage at No Cost to Individuals

    Colorado Legislature Debates Fiscal 2024 Budget Bill with $80 Million to Replace Enhanced FMAP

    Connecticut House Committee Advances 2 Bills to Increase Income, Asset Limits for HUSKY C

    Indiana Legislature Extends Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Hike for Out-of-state Children’s Hospitals

    Iowa House Committee Holds Hearing on Bill to Create Eligibility Verification System for Medicaid

    Michigan Launches Enhanced Medicaid Dental Benefits, Increased Dental Provider Reimbursement Rates

    Montana House Passes Bill to Increase Medicaid Reimbursement Rates to Ambulance Providers

    New York Implements Medicaid FFS Pharmacy Benefit Program

    Redeterminations News: Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia

    CMS to Increase Medicare Advantage Payments by 3.3 Percent in 2024

    CMS Proposes Increasing Medicare Reimbursement Rates for Skilled Nursing Facilities by 3.7 Percent in 2024

    HouseWorks Acquires Associated Home Care

    UnitedHealth Group to Reduce Use of Prior Authorizations