Tuesday, April 19, 2005

Transforming Ohio Medicaid: Recommendations from the Ohio Commission to Reform Medicaid Report in Adobe Acrobat format, brought to our attention by Open Minds - "The unsustainable rate of spending growth not only threatens the long-term viability of the program for the needy, but also threatens to crowd out funding for other essential state services including education, economic development, public safety, and transportation. The problem is not unique to Ohio; every state has experienced skyrocketing Medicaid costs that in some cases have brought the program to near bankruptcy in those states. Governor Bob Taft and the Ohio General Assembly created the Ohio Commission to Reform Medicaid to address these issues and recommend strategies for reform. After a year of comprehensive study of Ohio’s Medicaid program and review of initiatives in other states, the Commission believes that Ohio must take both short and long-term actions starting this coming fiscal year..."  
  

Mental Health Transformation Trends: A Periodic BriefingThe first issue of a new bimonthly SAMHSA publication,"a briefing designed to keep mental health partners up to date on emerging issues, practices and trends as the Nation moves towards a recovery-oriented, consumer-driven mental health system. Information provided includes updates on the progress in transforming the Nation’s mental health system at the federal, state and local levels, information on SAMHSA’s Mental Health Transformation State Incentive Grants as well as a 'resource corner' of additional mental health system transformation printed materials and websites."  
  

Kaisernetwork.org Holds Medicaid Webcast Item at the Kaiser Daily Health Policy Report - "Beginning at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, April 20, kaisernetwork.org will webcast a live panel discussion about possible changes to Medicaid. Kaiser Family Foundation Vice President and kaisernetwork.org Editor-in-Chief Larry Levitt will moderate a discussion with Jim Frogue, state project director for the Center for Health Transformation; Jeanne Lambrew, associate professor of health policy in George Washington University's Department of Health Policy; and Alan Weil, executive director of the National Academy for State Health Policy. To ask questions, call toll-free at 1-888-KAISER8 (524-7378) during the show or send an email to ask@kaisernetwork.org before and during the discussion." See also the additional information available online.