Today the Legislature will vote on the final state budget. I wanted to take one last opportunity to highlight the unrealistic assumptions that are being used for the MassHealth (Medicaid) program. If the state is unable to achieve these … [Read more...]
Is Medicaid (MassHealth) Preventing the Poor from Breaking out of Addiction?
Lawrence Harmon of The Boston Globe had a very interesting article that highlights the intersection of medicine and public policy. The issue was the debate whether MassHealth, our state’s Medicaid program, should move to pay for Suboxone … [Read more...]
ALERT – Rosie D. leads to improved mental health services for minors receiving MassHealth
[I received this information via a Special Education listserv in which I participate, as I am also active in the field of Special Education. This information is critical for teachers, social workers, police, parents, and others. … [Read more...]
More on marriage equality — Medicaid protections
I am not aware of any statistics about how many elders or persons with disabilities will be immediately affected; however, the Legislature has bound itself to pay for coverage. Sometime after the legislation is signed into law, … [Read more...]
Two health care stories in the Globe
And neither really deal with the current DiMasi-Trav compromise, such as it is:*Eileen McNamara wonders how the working poor will fare under the eventual bill. These would be the folks most helped by an honest-to-God Medicaid expansion, … [Read more...]
Health Care conferees: Open it up
Word is that things have gotten really, really bitter behind the scenes of the health care conference committee. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. And I think it comes from a huge difference of opinion of what's "politically … [Read more...]
Health care: Durned if I know
Regarding the stalled health care negotiations, Somedem asks: "Will it ever happen?". Well... I don't know, but maybe we shouldn't be surprised it's overdue. This is tough stuff. Apropos of the Globe article today, and the WBUR story … [Read more...]
‘BUR on health care impasse, personal mandates
WBUR just did a fine report on the health care impasse on Beacon Hill. They haven't posted it yet on their site, but perhaps they will later today. Give it a listen.UPDATE (by David): Here's the link. … [Read more...]
Will the feds crush MA health care reform?
This is just depressing as hell: State House News Service and WBUR are reporting that the federal government will not support any MA health care reform that increases eligibility to Medicaid (MassHealth), which was a central tenet of all of … [Read more...]