HHS And Texas Reach Accord For $25B Medicaid Funding For Hospitals

Texas Tribune:
Texas, Feds Agree To Renew Medicaid Funds For Safety Net Hospitals

With a Republican in the White House, top Texas leaders have reached an agreement with the federal government to keep Medicaid money flowing into Texas to help hospitals treat uninsured patients. The agreement with the Trump administration extends the life of the so-called “1115 waiver” — a program that safety-net hospitals have relied on for several years to serve poor, uninsured Texans — for another five years, to the tune of $25 billion. (Ramshaw, 12/21)

Houston Chronicle:
State Reaches $25 Billion Deal With Feds To Cover Uninsured Patients 

An agreement has been reached with federal officials to provide more than $25 billion over the next five years to fund uninsured patients at Texas hospitals, state officials announced Thursday. Gov. Greg Abbott said the deal that averts a potential health care crisis in the state will extend the life of the so-called “1115 waiver” — a program that safety-net hospitals have relied on for years to serve poor Texans — for another five years. (Ward, 12/21)

Dallas Morning News:
Parkland, Other Texas Hospitals Applaud Deal By Federal, State Officials To Extend Medicaid Cash Infusion

The federal government has extended for nearly five years a vital source of extra Medicaid money for safety-net hospitals such as Dallas’ Parkland Memorial Hospital. But the crucial flow of much-needed cash to county-owned hospitals in Texas’ biggest cities as well as to nonprofits, such as Baylor University Medical Center at Dallas, will shrink slightly as a result of a tighter definition of charity care, experts said Thursday. And the special Medicaid waiver’s other component, a “quality improvement program” designed to change delivery of health care to the indigent, will also be reduced and will only last four more years. (Garrett, 12/21)

Des Moines Register:
Iowa Medicaid Providers Hit With $1.5 Million In Penalties

Iowa has assessed $1.5 million in penalties against the three companies that managed the state’s Medicaid program for failing to meet performance standards, newly released records show. More than $1 million of those penalties were assessed against AmeriHealth Caritas, which recently terminated its contract with the state because it said it was losing too much money. (Clayworth, 12/21)

Orlando Sentinel:
Health-Care Agency Addresses Coverage Confusion Among Puerto Rican Evacuees In Florida

Following coverage concerns from Puerto Ricans displaced by Hurricane Maria, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services released a fact sheet this week addressing health-care challenges faced by evacuees in Florida. The nine-page document — geared toward providers and patients — answers dozens of questions about Medicare and Medicaid coverage on the mainland, including special enrollment periods to switch plans, health services covered under private Medicare Advantage plans and reduced out-of-pocket costs under the emergency declaration. (Padro Ocasio, 12/21)