Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report Highlights News Coverage of State Medicaid Developments, USA

Main Category: Medicare / Medicaid / SCHIP
Article Date: 15 May 2005 - 14:00 PDT

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The following summarizes news coverage of Medicaid developments in Louisiana and Nevada.

• Louisiana: The state House Health and Welfare Committee on Wednesday voted 11-4 to approve a bill (HB 369) that would add antipsychotic and hepatitis C drugs to the categories on the state Medicaid preferred drug list, the Baton Rouge Advocate reports. The committee voted to place the drugs on the list for two years, after which officials would review its effect on finances and people. If a medication is not on the list, physicians must have approval from the state to prescribe the drug. State Department of Health and Hospitals Secretary Fred Cerise said the preferred drug list is projected to save the state $63 million this year. Negotiating savings for the antipsychotic drugs, which cost Medicaid $88 million a year, could achieve additional savings, Cerise said. Opponents have said that the bill focuses on saving money at the risk of restricting medications for people with mental illnesses. The bill will go to the state House floor for consideration (Shuler, Baton Rouge Advocate, 5/12).
  
  
• Nevada: The Nevada Assembly on Tuesday approved a bill (AB 493) that would allow the state to apply for a Medicaid waiver to obtain additional federal funds to cover pregnant women, small-business employees and people who are considered "medically needy," the AP/Las Vegas Sun reports. About 2,500 to 3,000 medically needy people who have annual incomes lower than 150% of the federal poverty level would qualify for coverage under the bill, according to state Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley (D). The bill also would provide coverage to about 2,500 pregnant women with annual incomes lower than 185% the poverty level, according to Buckley. Small businesses that agree to cover at least half of employees' health costs also could enroll workers with annual incomes lower than 200% of the poverty level. The bill will be considered in the state Senate (Searer, AP/Las Vegas Sun, 5/11).

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