Tuesday, January 25, 2005

Medicaid Developments in Colorado, Kentucky, VermontItem in the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report on proposed legislation in Colorado, planned emergency regulations in Kentucky and a "multi-pronged plan" to reduce the Medicad shortfall in Vermont. The item includes a number of direct links to news stories and related web resources.  
  

Florida Offers a Bold Stroke to Fight Medicaid Cost New York Times article - "America's governors, struggling for a grip on mounting Medicaid costs, are restricting access, squeezing providers and chipping away at services. But perhaps no one is proposing changes as far-reaching and fundamental as Gov. Jeb Bush of Florida. Mr. Bush is proposing that the state's 2.1 million Medicaid recipients be allotted money to buy their own health care coverage from managed care organizations and other private medical networks. If enacted, the program would make Florida the first state to allow private companies, not the state, to decide the scope and extent of services to the elderly, the disabled and the poor, half of them children..." [Viewing New York Times resources requires registration, which is free].  
  

Investigation into NHS mental health 'bias' (UK)Story at deHaviland - "An inquiry has been launched into claims of institutionalised discrimination in the NHS against people with mental health problems. Patients with mental health issues are four times more likely to die from a treatable illness than other patients, according to the Disability Rights Commission (DRC). The investigation will examine the high death rate and look at why people with learning disabilities and conditions such as schizophrenia and manic depression appear to receive worse care from the NHS."  
  

Study shines light on mental health costs (Maine) Kennebec Journal story - "A new study of the state's MaineCare health insurance program for the poor concludes 'behavioral health costs are dramatically outpacing all other costs in the program.' But advocates for the mentally ill say the report, prepared by the University of Southern Maine's Muskie School of Public Service, is flawed and discriminates against those with mental illnesses or mental retardation."  
  

A push for better mental health benefits (Texas)Story in the American-Statesman - "A Texas Republican is pushing legislation that would expand mental health benefits currently offered by insurance companies. The bill, expected to be filed later this week by Rep. Joe Nixon of Houston, would not force businesses to offer mental health coverage. Instead, the bill would increase the types of psychiatric illnesses covered under insurance plans. It would also change limits on the amount of services provided..."  
  

Mental health task force makes recommendations (Texas) A News8 story in Austin - "A mayoral task force says local mental health services are not meeting demand. In a report released Monday, Mayor Will Wynn's task force identified challenges and gaps in serving Travis County's mentally ill. The report specifically calls for improved hospital-based psychiatric emergency care, affordable housing for the very poor, balance between privacy and public discussion of mental health issues, training for providers, patients and families, efforts to ease the stigma of mental illness wider and access to medication."