State Health Watch Archives – September 1, 2010
September 1, 2010
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Is long-term care a "ticking time bomb" for Medicaid programs?
The growing cost of long-term care services in Medicaid, which currently accounts for 32% of total Medicaid spending, could double or even triple by 2030, according to a June 2010 report from the Washington, DC-based Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, Medicaid Long-term Care: The Ticking Time Bomb. -
Idaho Medicaid leaves no stone unturned to fill $247M budget gap
There is no question that Medicaid programs can use all the legitimate cost-cutting ideas they can get, but Idaho has gone the extra mile. -
Idaho Medicaid preparing for 100,000 new eligibles
The single biggest challenge with health care reform is "the increased resources needed to implement this legislation," says Leslie Clement, administrator of the Department of Health and Welfare's Division of Medicaid. "Idaho is currently experiencing budget deficits. Projections do not indicate that this will change much in the near future." -
Downturn is good time to evaluate LT care
While the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act offers opportunities to enhance long-term care services in Medicaid, one obvious obstacle is fiscal. -
States must do more to slow long-term care cost trends
Several initiatives designed to slow current cost trends in long-term care spending are highlighted in Medicaid Long-term Care: The Ticking Time Bomb, a report from the Washington, DC-based Deloitte Center for Health Solutions. -
Medicaid's high-cost clients grow in importance: Community health centers expected to double
Increased funding for Community Health Centers included in the health care reform legislation is expected to nearly double the number of patients seen by the centers over the next five years to nearly 40 million. -
Health care reform bill focuses on readmissions
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (H.R. 3590) puts considerable focus on reducing hospital readmissions. Here are some excerpts and key provisions from the bill on this subject: -
Check CMS website for readmission comparisons
Hospitals will need to get used to the idea of reporting their 30-day readmission results as the new health care reform bill expands on this initiative of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).