Patient advocates and healthcare organizations are cheering Governor Rick Snyder’s decision to seek an expansion of Medicaid eligibility under the new federal healthcare law.
The expansion would eventually allow 450,000 people to be added to Medicaid, and sharply reduce the ranks of the un-insured in Michigan.
The governor says it would also reduce the overall cost of healthcare in Michigan. And part of the savings can be banked to cover Michigan’s future costs of the Medicaid expansion.
“This is about being financially responsible," said Snyder. "Just like you’d be setting up at home, let’s set up a health savings account here, to cushion for shocks, for unexpected events, and then to have a thoughtful stream of dollars to minimize costs for the long-term."
Health care groups, patient advocates, and some business groups also support the expansion.
They say unnecessary emergency room visits and people who wait to get treated are driving up the cost of care and the cost of health insurance.
Kris Nicholoff is with the Michigan Osteopathic Association. He says that would eventually almost cut in half the number of people in Michigan who don’t have health insurance.
“450,000 people will get coverage that don’t have it right now. Now, you’ve been to the University of Michigan’s football stadium? Four times that. Picture that right now – four times that full patients will receive care if we expand Medicaid," said Nicholoff.
The Medicaid expansion will be part of Governor Snyder’s budget proposal. It will be presented tomorrow. Then it has to be approved by the Legislature. The governor says the expansion will save money in the long-term.
Advocates for the uninsured are pressing Governor Rick Snyder to call for an expansion of Medicaid in Michigan. They delivered more than 4,000 petition signatures in favor of an expansion to the governor’s office yesterday.
Under the federal healthcare law, the state could let nearly 400,000 uninsured residents join the program. The federal government would cover the cost for three years. After that, the state would be responsible for up to ten percent.
Liz Lamoste, with the group Medicaid Matters for Michigan, says the state should take advantage of the offer.
“If the offer’s on the table, we should be in a position to take advantage of it, especially because it makes financial sense for Michigan, and hundreds of thousands of people are relying on us to take prudent responsible action to provide people with more coverage," said Lamoste.
Many Republicans in the Legislature say they don’t trust the federal government to keep its promises. Governor Snyder will announce his plans for Medicaid on Thursday when he unveils his new proposed budget.
Cyndy talks Medicaid expansion with Detroit Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray.
The following is a summary of a previously recorded interview. To hear the complete segment, click the audio above.
Is the State of Michigan going to expand its Medicaid coverage? That's the question on the front burner at the Governor's office these days as he prepares to unveil his new budget to the Legislature this week.
Cyndy spoke with Detroit Free Press reporter Kathleen Gray who helped break down the Medicaid program in the state and talked to us about the pros and cons of expanding Medicaid coverage to another half a million people.
The Affordable Care Act will assist states in expanding their Medicaid eligibility limits for adults to 133 percent of the Federal Poverty Level, (that's and income of about $14,860 per year for one person).
Snyder to decide this week whether to expand Medicaid
In his budget address this week, Gov. Rick Snyder will announce whether he'll expand Medicaid. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government would pay for the state to allow an additional 400,000 people in the state to receive Medicaid coverage. The state would eventually have to pay for a portion of the costs, Rick Pluta reports.
Snyder to propose adding $50 to $100 million to Rainy Day Fund
Gov. Rick Snyder is expected to recommend that the state add $50 to $100 million to its Budget Stabilization Fund, better known as the Rainy Day Fund. Some Democrats argue though that now is not the time to be saving. The Detroit Free Press quotes Gilda Jacobs, president and CEO of the Michigan League for Public Policy.
"For lots of families, it is raining right now," Jacobs said. "There really is the opportunity to take a portion of the money that is in the Rainy Day Fund and use it for families that are experiencing hardship."
Chrysler pays tribute to troops, farmers in two Super Bowl ads
Chrysler's two Super Bowl ads were among the most well-received auto advertisements according to the Detroit Free Press. Chrysler's first ad, voiced by Oprah Winfrey, was a Jeep spot that paid tribute to the military. Their second commercial, an ad for Ram pickup trucks, featured the late radio personality Paul Harvey reading "So God Made a Farmer."
Governor Rick Snyder decides this week whether he will call for expanding Medicaid in his new budget.
The federal government would pick up the entire cost at first, which would allow the state to add nearly 400 thousand people to the Medicaid rolls who are currently uninsured.
One of the goals of the federal health care law is to reduce the number of un-insured people and costly emergency room visits.
But, after the first few years, states will have to pick up part of the cost: 10% by 2020.
If Governor Rick Snyder decides he wants to expand Medicaid in Michigan, state House Republicans say they might not be on board.
State House Speaker Jase Bolger says he’s “cautiously skeptical” about the idea of expanding Medicaid.
Under the federal Affordable Care Act, the state has to decide whether to let more people into the program. If it does, Washington will pay for the expansion for the first three years.
Bolger says he’s not yet convinced.
“The federal government has quite a history of dangling carrots and abandoning states and leaving them to pay for those things.”
Governor Snyder says he wants to make sure health care providers in the state can handle an influx of hundreds-of-thousands of people into the program.
He’s expected to address his plans for a possible Medicaid expansion when he gives his budget proposal next week.
Gov. Rick Snyder says he hasn’t decided yet whether he wants the state to expand Medicaid eligibility.
Under the federal Affordable Care Act, the state has to decide whether to let more people qualify for Medicaid. If it does, the federal government will pay the costs of an expansion for the first three years.
Gov. Snyder says he still needs to get a clear idea of what that would mean for the state.
“I want to make sure we have access and high quality care if we’re to look into something like that, and say, ‘What’s the net cost to all of us?’”
Snyder also says he wants to make sure health care providers can accommodate adding hundreds of thousands of people to the program.
“The key issue on the Medicaid expansion that I want to do some research on, among others, is do we have enough capacity to put essentially 400,000 more people into a medical home model with a primary care environment, as opposed to having them simply go to an ER?”
Snyder also says he wants to make sure health care providers can accommodate adding hundreds of thousands of people to the program.
A possible expansion of Medicaid in Michigan will be a key part of Governor Rick Snyder’s budget address to state lawmakers next week.
A bill in the Senate would *prohibit* the state from expanding Medicaid. Supporters of the bill say it doesn’t make financial sense. They say there are better options for expanding coverage.
LANSING, Mich. (AP) - An audit has found that a Michigan agency made at least $3.3 million in improper payments for wheelchairs, ventilators and other medical equipment as part of the Medicaid program.
The report released Thursday flagged the Department of Community Health for paying claims without prior authorization, making duplicate payments and buying incontinence supplies from the wrong contractors.
State officials say they agree with the state auditor's recommendations for improvement, including setting lower rates to buy used equipment.
Snyder pushes renewable energy and drilling for natural gas
Governor Rick Snyder gave a special address on energy and the environment Wednesday. Highlights of his address include a push for more renewable energy and more drilling for natural gas. As the Lansing State Journal reports,
"The Republican governor gave natural gas a central role in an energy policy that seeks greater efficiency and improvements to infrastructure such as pipelines and the electric transmission grid. It proposes establishing a “strategic natural gas reserve” designed to make the resource more affordable and defends the practice of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” to extract gas from deep underground."
GOP pushing for right-to-work in lame duck
Republicans are still working to make Michigan a right-to-work state. This comes after voters rejected a ballot proposal to enshrine collective bargaining in the state constitution. As the Detroit News reports,
"Today could be the last chance to introduce a bill making union membership optional as a condition of employment in the private and public sectors to get it passed by Dec. 13. That's the day legislative leaders hope to head home for the holidays."
Sorry Michigan, no one won the Powerball jackpot in the state
"The Michigan Lottery says two Powerball tickets worth $1 million each were sold in the state. Officials say the tickets were sold at a liquor store in Kentwood and a CVS pharmacy in Dearborn. The Michigan tickets matched five numbers drawn last night, but not the Powerball number. Powerball officials said early Thursday that tickets sold in Arizona and Missouri matched all six numbers to win the $579.9 million jackpot," the AP repots.
Over 10 years, Michigan could save a billion dollars and get more than 600,000 previously uninsured people health coverage.
That's the upside of expanding Medicaid in Michigan, according to a new study from the Center for Healthcare Research and Transformation (CHRT) in Ann Arbor.
The federal government can't force states to expand their programs, but they are offering big incentives: for 10 years, the feds will pick up 100% of the costs of covering newly-eligible Medicaid patients, as part of the Affordable Care Act.
Secretary of State being sued over citizenship question
"A coalition of unions, voters, county clerks and civil rights groups is suing Secretary of State Ruth Johnson in federal court. The lawsuit challenges Johnson’s instruction that voters who show up on Election Day should be asked whether they are US citizens. But no one can legally be denied a ballot for refusing to check the box. The lawsuit was filed yesterday in US District Court in Detroit. Johnson’s office would not comment specifically on the lawsuit. But she has said the question is simply meant to remind people that only U-S citizens can vote in elections," Rick Pluta reports.
Medicaid tax falls $130-million short of projections
"The state could lose up to $260-million in federal funding for Medicaid this year. That's because of lower-than-expected revenues from Michigan's new one-percent tax on health insurance claims, which started in January. The tax will bring in $130-million less than originally projected for the current fiscal year. That means Michigan will have less money to qualify for federal matching dollars," Jake Neher reports.
CAW extends contracts with GM and Chrysler
The AP reports the Canadian Auto workers union says it has agreed to extend its current contracts with General Motors and Chrysler. Negotiations on new deals continue,
The union had set a midnight strike deadline. But President Ken Lewenza said talks would go past the deadline if there was progress. Earlier Monday the C-A-W reached a 4 -year deal with Ford that freezes pay and cuts wages for new hires. The union wants the deal to be the template for contracts with G-M and Chrysler. A CAW spokeswoman wouldn't say how long the contracts will be extended.
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