Wednesday, May 21, 2003

No Medicaid cuts in Wyoming, other states
Wyoming Tribune-Eagle story - "With many states scrambling to rein in skyrocketing Medicaid costs, the Cowboy State is among a handful bucking the cutback trend. Buoyed by a budget surplus and a healthy economy, Wyoming is one of three states that have made no cuts this fiscal year to its Medicaid program..... Other states not cutting Medicaid include Alabama – which operates at minimum federal guidelines – and New Mexico – another state with a budget surplus that is asking for an additional $80 million to keep pace with next year’s expected growth."  
  

Red Tape Squeezes Access to Mental Health Care
Brief Ascribe Newswire item on a report published in the May 2003 issue of General Hospital Psychiatry - "While competition among managed care organizations is thought to improve access to medical care, the "administrative burden" of juggling their policies and procedures may limit patient access to high-quality mental health services, according to a national survey of more than 7,000 primary care physicians." Full text of the report is only available through General Hospital Psychiatry for a fee.