New on the Web 78 (March 2011)
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: “Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports: Policy and Practice Opportunities at a Critical Moment,” “Medicaid Block Grant Would Shift Financial Risks and Costs to States,” “Repealing Health Reform’s Maintenance of Effort Provision Could Cause Millions of Children, Parents, Seniors, and People with Disabilities to Lose Coverage”
From the Commonwealth Fund: “Help on the Horizon: How the Recession Has Left Millions of Workers without Health Insurance, and How Health Reform Will Bring Relief,” “Making Health Insurance Cost-Sharing Clear to Consumers: Challenges in Implementing Health Reform’s Insurance Disclosure Requirements”
From Health Care for America Now (HCAN): “HCAN Analysis Shows Health Insurers Pocketed Huge Profits in 2010 Despite Weak Economy”
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured: “State Adoption of Coverage and Enrollment Options in the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2009”
From the Kaiser Family Foundation: “Health Reform Quiz,” “Medicaid: A Primer on the Federal-State Partnership,” “Medicare Spending and Financing: A Primer 2011”
From the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission: “Report to the Congress on Medicaid and CHIP”
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: “The Target Efficiency of Online Medicaid/CHIP Enrollment: An Evaluation of Wisconsin’s ACCESS Internet Portal”
From the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities:
Improving the Delivery of Key Work Supports: Policy and Practice Opportunities at a Critical Moment discusses the need for better coordination between programs for low-income people and how to achieve it. The report focuses primarily on how states can better coordinate between Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), but it also offers examples for other important low-income programs. (February 2011)
Medicaid Block Grant Would Shift Financial Risks and Costs to States disputes the assertion that changing Medicaid into a block grant program would benefit state budgets and give greater stability to Medicaid costs. A block grant program is designed to provide predictability for federal spending, and it actually shifts all additional costs to states. (February 2011)
Repealing Health Reform’s Maintenance of Effort Provision Could Cause Millions of Children, Parents, Seniors, and People with Disabilities to Lose Coverage explains why the Medicaid maintenance of effort provision is essential to protecting health coverage for low-income people until the law is fully implemented in 2014. In addition, it points out that cutting Medicaid coverage will have a negative impact on economic growth and much-needed job creation due to the loss of federal matching funds. (February 2011)
From the Commonwealth Fund:
Help on the Horizon: How the Recession Has Left Millions of Workers without Health Insurance, and How Health Reform Will Bring Relief examines the effect of the recession on the health coverage of adults between the ages of 19 and 64 and the implications for both their finances and their access to health care. The Affordable Care Act will greatly reduce the impact on health coverage and will protect workers from becoming uninsured. (March 2011)
Making Health Insurance Cost-Sharing Clear to Consumers: Challenges in Implementing Health Reform’s Insurance Disclosure Requirements reports on findings from a Consumers Union study that examined consumers’ initial reactions to the proposed Summary of Benefits and Coverage form, which uses standard language and formatting to explain what different health plans offer so that consumers can easily compare options for coverage. The findings revealed that, while consumers were able to use the form to compare coverage, they lacked confidence in the listed cost-sharing rates. (February 2011)
From Health Care for America Now (HCAN):
HCAN Analysis Shows Health Insurers Pocketed Huge Profits in 2010 despite Weak Economy finds that insurers have increased premiums but spent less on actual medical coverage. By serving fewer consumers and imposing higher deductibles, large insurers have been able to raise their profits significantly. (March 2011)
From the Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured:
State Adoption of Coverage and Enrollment Options in the Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act of 2009 presents an overview of the new coverage options, enrollment tools, and incentives that were provided by CHIPRA and examines whether states have taken advantage of these new options. (February 2011)
From the Kaiser Family Foundation:
Health Reform Quiz asks a series of 10 questions about the health reform law. The questions focus on some of the most misunderstood portions of the law, thereby helping consumers gain a better understanding of the Affordable Care Act. (March 2011)
Medicaid: A Primer on the Federal-State Partnership provides an overview of the Medicaid program, including who is eligible, what is covered, its financing, and the program’s role in the health care law. The briefing includes a variety of expert panelists and a video with slides from their presentations. (March 2011)
Medicare Spending and Financing: A Primer 2011 begins with a review of the factors that have contributed to the growth in Medicare spending, including the effects of the health reform law. It also discusses the program’s long-term financial challenges for both beneficiaries and the solvency of the program itself. (February 2011)
From the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission:
Report to the Congress on Medicaid and CHIP is the first annual report from the Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC), which is tasked with reviewing state and federal Medicaid and CHIP access and payment policies and making recommendations to Congress and HHS. The report compiles Medicaid and CHIP program information, including state-specific information about enrollment, spending, eligibility levels, benefits covered, and federal matching dollars (FMAP). (March 2011)
From the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation:
The Target Efficiency of Online Medicaid/CHIP Enrollment: An Evaluation of Wisconsin’s ACCESS Internet Portal looks at the kinds of people (by race, income level, etc.) who are likely to apply for coverage via Wisconsin’s online system versus the traditional method. The brief also examines how effectively ACCESS coordinates applications for health insurance with other social programs. (February 2011)
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