The NPR (5/3, Pauly) “Shots” blog reported that under both the Affordable Care Act and the Mental Health Parity Act, “health insurance companies are required to provide mental health coverage if they cover physical illnesses.” Not included under ACA or MHPA is travel insurance, however. Linda Kundell, a spokesperson for […]

The Hill (5/4) reported the Obama Administration “clarified” rules Friday regarding plans under the Affordable Care Act “to help people quit smoking.” The article noted that group health plans and health insurance issuers under the healthcare law “must provide free tobacco use screening and offer smokers at least two tobacco […]

U-T San Diego (5/2, Sisson) reported on a Medicaid backlog in California, noting “105,000 recent Medi-Cal applicants are waiting for final approval on their benefits because of slow communications between county and state computer servers.” Original Posting from Bulletin Healthcare.

The AP (5/5) reports the New Hampshire state Senate is meeting following a court ruling that found the state hospital tax unconstitutional. Last week, Senate President Chuck Morse expressed his wishes to the Ways and Means Committee that “negotiations among legislative leaders, the governor and the hospitals produce a short-term […]

In a more than 1,550-word story, Bloomberg News (5/3, Wayne) reported that “the push to sign up people for Obamacare won’t get any easier in Year 2,” and according to supporters, “the Obama administration needs to improve everything from customer service to Spanish-language outreach if it’s to parlay a functioning […]

The Las Vegas Review-Journal(5/4, Robison) reports on high premium increases for the ACA’s employer coverage mandate, which may impact as many as 90,000 policies across Nevada, according to Las Vegas insurance broker William Wright, president of Chamber Insurance and Benefits. Kansas University Plans To Cut Grad Student Work Hours To […]

The Washington Post(5/3, A1, Whoriskey, Keating) reports on its front page in an article of nearly 3,400 words on its findings after examining hospice care in the US, partly through Medicare billing records. The Post found that many hospice providers fell short of what patients and their families expected, especially […]

The AP (5/5) reported that Andy Allison, who has run Arkansas’ Medicaid program since 2011, announced his resignation on Friday. Allison will resign on June 1. Northwest Arkansas Online (5/2) quoted from Allison’s announcement: “Gov. Beebe, John Selig and DHS Deputy Director Janie Huddleston gave me the opportunity to lead […]

Several recent proposals for Medicare reimbursement were released last week by CMS, drawing media and industry attention. The Congressional Quarterly (5/2, Reichard, Subscription Publication) reported on the looming “big lobbying push” by hospitals over proposed changes to Medicare reimbursement. CQ notes that “Because hospitals account for so much Medicare spending […]

Several states are continuing to consider the possibility of Medicaid expansion, while states with such programs in place are evaluating their effectiveness. In Washington state, the AP (5/4, Corte) reported that the state’s expanded Medicaid program has enrolled more people than anticipated. Now, according to the AP, “questions remain about […]