Senators seek to reimburse states for meds
A bipartisan group of senators said Wednesday they would work to reimburse states for expenses incurred because of problems with the new Medicare drug benefit.
The federal government took on the responsibility Jan. 1 of subsidizing prescription drug costs for low-income seniors and the disabled, which previously occurred through Medicaid, the health insurance program for the poor. But some people have had trouble getting their medicine during the transition, so many states have stepped in to help pay for it. (Associated Press)  More  

New Florida Law Costs 77,000 Elderly & Disabled their Medicaid Coverage 

A bill passed by the Florida Legislature last spring eliminated all Medicare beneficiaries not living in  nursing homes or similar institutions from the Medicaid Aged and Disabled Program, or MEDS AD. The program, which is optional for states and served about 132,000 Florida residents last year, provided more than two dozen types of  medical services for elderly and disabled residents with incomes below 88 percent of the federal poverty level. (Ocala Star-Banner)   More

Help for a health plan that works

It might have been an accident or cancer, mental illness or the death of a loved one. For me it was a diagnosis of multiple sclerosis that spurred a need to know more about our health-care system. When I am faced with any puzzling situation, I take on the challenge to understand it full throttle. While my personal health had taken a turn for the worse, I discovered that it is the nation's fragmented health-care system that is in need of immediate treatment. (Daytona News-Journal) More

States Intervene After Drug Plan Hits Early Snags

Low-income Medicare beneficiaries around the country were often overcharged, and some were turned away from pharmacies without getting their medications, in the first week of Medicare's new drug benefit. The problems have prompted emergency action by some states to protect their citizens.

(New York Times, Ocala Star-Banner)  More 

Law Aimed at Wal-Mart May Be Hard to Replicate

When the Maryland legislature passed a law last week requiring that its largest employers, including Wal-Mart Stores, spend at least 8 percent of their payrolls on health care, supporters of the measure claimed they had delivered a clear message to corporate America: companies cannot shirk their duty to employees. . . . though, it is doubtful that the campaign will steamroll across the country, policy analysts say.  (New York Times)  More

Lawmakers in 30 States to Introduce Health Insurance Legislation Aimed at Large Employers

Legislation requiring large companies to increase their spending on employee health insurance will be introduced soon in 30 states, the New York Times reports. Almost all of the bills would require that the largest private employers in a state devote 8-11 percent of their payroll to health insurance or contribute a fee to the state fund. . . .

(Thanks to University of South Florida Health Center Florida Project’s KidCare Update for posting this New York Times article.)  More

The Implications of Cuts in Public Health Coverage

A new Health Affairs article and related brief conclude that cuts to public coverage like Medicaid and SCHIP would increase emergency room use by the uninsured and leave most adults enrolled without an alternative insurance option. (Thanks to University of South Florida Health Center Florida Project’s KidCare Update for posting this article.)  More

New Requirements for Birth Certificates or Passports Could Threaten Medicaid

for Vulnerable Beneficiaries: A state-by-state analysis

The budget conference agreement that passed the Senate and the House in slightly different forms in December, and that the House of Representatives will vote on again on February 1, would require all citizens applying or reapplying for Medicaid to produce a passport or birth certificate to prove they are U.S. citizens. This unnecessary new requirement would create significant barriers for millions of low-income citizens who meet all Medicaid requirements. This analysis estimates by state Medicaid beneficiaries who would be required to submit a passport or birth certificate, or otherwise be cut off Medicaid.  More

This report finds that African Americans are at special risk under this new provision. Many of the 800,000 low-income elderly African Americans subject to this requirement lack passports and do not possess birth certificates. Medicaid applicants without these documents could find their Medicaid coverage denied or seriously delayed; current beneficiaries could lose their Medicaid coverage.  More

(Thanks to University of South Florida Health Center Florida Project’s KidCare Update for posting this article.)

Top Health Policy Stories of 2005

The growing number of the uninsured, the public health impact of Hurricane Katrina, and the start of registration for the new Medicare drug benefit were among the top health policy stories of 2005, according to respondents to an informal online survey conducted by The Commonwealth Fund and the journal Health Affairs. More

FDA Says Drug Package Inserts Revised for Clarity, Ease of Use

On January 18, the FDA announced the first revision in 25 years of the required format for prescription drug information for prescription drug package inserts. The change is intended to make information more understandable for patients and professionals, and to help avoid prescription errors.   More

Focus: Kill or Cure?

First we were told to keep out of the sun to avoid skin cancer. Now a study suggests the resulting vitamin D deficiency can give us other cancers. Is health advice doing us harm?  More

39% Live In Areas Limiting Smoking

Six states enacted indoor smoking bans in 2005, more than in any previous year, as public sentiment appears increasingly anti-tobacco. Thirty-nine percent of Americans are covered by statewide or local laws limiting smoking, according to Americans for Non-smokers' Rights. In 1985, there were fewer than 200 such state and local laws in the USA. Today, there are more than 2,000...It's all part of a growing sentiment for a smoke-free environment at work, in public places, even outdoors. (Thanks to Association for Community Health Improvement for posting this USA Today article.)  More