All Entries Tagged With: "medicaid"

Medicaid battle brews in Minnesota

The governor of Minnesota faces a dilemma because of the growing number of Medicaid-eligible patients in his state, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reports.

Governor Tim Pawlenty’s budget includes a $3 billion share for Medicaid, which is one-fifth of his budget. But cutting isn’t easy. He has a Legislature that wants to expand access to healthcare for the poor.

Read the full story in the Tribune.

WellPoint barred from enrolling new patients in Medicare

Health insurer WellPoint Inc. has been barred from adding customers to Medicare plans after it denied prescription drugs to the elderly, endangering their lives, the government announced. The sanctions, outlined in a letter to WellPoint from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, followed a "sharp" increase in consumer complaints.

Elderly customers were stopped from receiving essential prescription drugs, and some were overcharged because of computer mistakes, the government said.

Read the full story in the Los Angeles Times.

National health spending growth at slowest pace since 1999

Americans spent only 0.2% more on healthcare in 2006 than they did the year before, triggering the slowest growth grate since 1999. The average American spends $7,421 on healthcare, according to a report by CMS.

“This is another reminder that the cost of healthcare continues to be a real and pressing concern facing the American public and the federal government,” said CMS Acting Administrator Kerry Weems in a statement. “This report – like the reports issued last year on the financial status of Medicare and Medicaid – is a stark reminder that we must redouble our ongoing efforts to reform the delivery of healthcare services in this country to bring about the goal of affordable, high quality health for all Americans.”