Newspapers Report Developments In Medicaid Programs In Louisiana, New York And Washington, D.C.

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 05 Nov 2007 - 9:00 PDT

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The following summarizes recent Medicaid developments in two states and Washington, D.C.

• Louisiana: State officials on Tuesday announced that residents can apply for Medicaid online, the Capitol News/Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The state also has posted on the Department of Health and Hospital's Web site applications for LaCHIP, the state's version of SCHIP; LaMOMS, a program that provides coverage for pregnant women; the Medicaid Purchase Plan, for workers with disabilities; the Medicare Savings Program, a premium subsidy program for Medicare beneficiaries; and TAKE CHARGE, family planning services for women. During the first 10 days of operation, 500 online applications were completed, according to DHH officials (Capitol News/Baton Rouge Advocate, 10/31).
  
  
• New York: Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) last week proposed an increase in Medicaid physician reimbursement rates for fiscal year 2008-2009, the AP/Albany Times Union reports. A recent report by Public Citizen found New York's Medicaid program ranks second-to-last in the nation for the amount it reimburses physicians for services, despite the fact that the program spends more per beneficiary than in most other states. According to the report, the state's Medicaid program spends $7,500 per beneficiary (Bauman, AP/Albany Times Union, 10/29).
  
  
• Washington, D.C.: Problems with a company contracted by the district to transport Medicaid beneficiaries to physician appointments has prompted "clients, social workers and at least one physician" to formally complain about "missing appointments or being stranded for hours; ill-equipped vehicles arriving for pickups; and mass confusion over the changes in the services," the Washington Post reports. Medical Transportation Management acknowledges that it is currently understaffed but said that the city is at fault for giving drivers incorrect addresses. Robert Maruca, a senior official with the city's Medical Assistance Administration, said the district currently is monitoring the MTM contract and requiring the company to verify addresses (Woodlee, Washington Post, 11/1).

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