Health Care Reform 

Judge clears way for implementation of health-care law in states that are challenging it

By: N.C. Aizenman

The Washington Post

March 3, 2011

A federal judge in Florida who had previously ruled against the new health-care law has announced a stay of his ruling with two conditions that would fast-track the challenge to the Supreme Court. The conditions require the administration to file an appeal within seven days and request an expedited review from either the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court. The rulings from federal judges have sparked different reactions from states. Some state governors have declared the law dead and have returned some state planning funds while other governors believe that until the law completes the appeals process it remains in effect and they will comply.

Medicaid/CHIP 

CT to shift Medicaid programs to self-insured model

By: Greg Bordonaro

Hartford Business

February 8, 2011

Dramatic changes have been announced for Connecticut's Medicaid programs which are scheduled to switch to a self-insured model by January 1, 2012. This new model eliminates private insurance companies from state health care plans. The change would impact 600,000 residents including 391,000 children in the Husky and Charter Oak Health Plans. As part of the model, the state will also implement the medical home concept and place greater emphasis on care coordination by primary care physicians.

How Illinois' Medicaid reforms could affect you

By: Monifa Thomas

Sun Times

February 15, 2011

Illinois' new Medicaid reform is expected to save the state an estimated $80 million. One of the key changes in the legislation includes capping eligibility for the All Kids insurance program to 300% of the federal poverty level, which is predicted to result in approximately 3,100 children losing their insurance. The new law will also require 1.4 million Medicaid recipients to be enrolled in coordinated care through the expansion of managed care. Other elements of the new law include increased community-based housing for people with disabilities and better eligibility verification for Medicaid applicants.

Cutting health care for children? Bad medicine for a broken economy

By: Irwin Redlener, M.D.

Huffington Post

March 1, 2011

Dr. Irwin Redlener is a professor of clinical public health and pediatrics at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health. In this opinion piece he states that reductions in Medicaid/CHIP spending would cause low-income children to face greater difficulty in accessing care and would have serious consequences for the health and well-being of American families. Dr. Redlener argues that cuts in funding for children's health care are not only morally wrong but unwise from an economic point of view because without a way to fund access to care there is an increased risk of chronic disease in adulthood and families would instead rely on care through emergency rooms.  As a result, long-term economic recovery and the capacity to innovate in the coming decades would be undermined. 

Data and Multimedia 

Resources examine recession-driven record Medicaid enrollment and assess Medicaid spending growth

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF)

February 2011

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) has published three resources examining Medicaid enrollment and spending during the recent recession.  An in-depth report shows that increased enrollment due to job loss drove Medicaid spending, rather than an increase in per enrollee cost.  Kaiser also features a fact sheet summarizing the report and an updated data snapshot on how Medicaid enrollment increased between June 2009 and June 2010.

Medicaid home and community-based service programs: Data update

Kaiser Family Foundation

February 2011

This report presents a summary of major trends in the development of home and community-based services (HCBS) as well as 2009 data on policies for these programs. One of the key findings from the report is a slight increase in the number of individuals who are serviced by Medicaid HCBS waiver programs. Also Medicaid spending on HCBS has more than doubled since 1999 with per person spending averaging $14,776 in 2007. The report also demonstrated that policy makers continue to pursue HCBS alternatives to institutional care.

Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act (CHIPRA) Update 2011 Kaiser Health Facts

Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) 

February 2011

The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured (KCMU) and Georgetown University have published new data on state adoption of coverage and enrollment options in CHIPRA. The update also includes new data on CHIPRA performance bonus awards for FY 2009 and FY2010.

Catalyst Picks

Washington governor signs deficit cutting package

By: Manuel Valdes

The Seattle Times 

February 18, 2011

Governor Chris Gregoire signed into law a deficit cutting package to patch a $500 million gap for the current fiscal year. The agreement cuts several health programs for the poor and disabled and transfers funds from other programs. Cash grants have been cut to the Disability Lifeline program, and enrollment in the state's Children's Health program has been limited to families whose income is under 200 percent of the federal poverty level. As the state negotiates deficit reduction for the next two years, further cuts are anticipated.

Before they go home: Agency prepares families to care for fragile children

By: Bridget Doyle

TribLocal

February 11, 2011

Almost Home Kids is a residential home program in Illinois that provides care for fragile children when they can no longer stay in the hospital, while also teaching their parents how to eventually care for their children at home. Children are allowed to stay for up to 120 days while caregivers undergo 24-hour training sessions. The facility was founded in 1992 and is supported by donations. Parent education and training of this type may help children more effectively and safely transition from or avoid having to receive care in more costly hospital or institutional settings.

Coordinated system of care to streamline state services and help Louisiana's at-risk youth

Press Release

KATC.com

March 3, 2011

Louisiana is one of the first states to bring together leadership from four child-serving agencies - Social Services, Juvenile Justice, Health and Education - to form a statewide coordinated system of care for youth with behavioral health needs. The program will initially target 1,200 youth who are currently in a variety of institutional settings or homeless. The goals of the new system are to reduce out-of-home placements of youth with significant behavioral health issues, better use states resources and federal funding, and improve outcomes for at-risk youth. Louisiana's system has been praised as a potential model to revolutionize a complicated system of care for youth and their families.

By: Karla Ward

Kentucky.com

February 9, 2011

Four health-related organizations have received $250,000 in grants from the federal government's Social Innovation Fund and the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. One of the awarded organizations is Home of the Innocents in Louisville which provides dental services to children in foster care and children with special health care needs.

Experts urge Texas legislators to spare mental health care for children from budget cuts

By: Jessica L. Huseman

Dallasnews.com

February 23, 2011

Mental health care for children in Texas is facing cuts of nearly 20%. With Texas currently ranked as 49th in the US for mental health expenditures, experts argue that the cuts would put the state even further behind in addressing the mental care needs of children. Advocates for children's mental health care in Texas say spending on intervening early helps save money in the long run, particularly in the area of juvenile justice.   

Illinois Blue Cross settles allegations that it denied sick kids coverage

By: Bruce Japsen

Chicago Breaking Business

February 24, 2011

Blue Cross and Blue Shield, the largest health insurance company in Illinois, will pay $25 million in a settlement on allegations that it denied coverage to sick children in need of nursing care by shifting their claims to the state's Medicaid program at a cost of $12 million. The state and the U.S Treasurer will share in the proceeds from the settlement and $1.25 million will go to Illinois consumers who were denied coverage. Blue Cross has denied the allegations.

 

If you have suggestions for news items related to coverage and financing of care for CYSHCN please email Week in Review editor and Catalyst Center Research Assistant Sheila Phicil by 12 pm ET on Friday at sphicil@bu.edu.