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Latest California Healthline Stories

The Medicaid Mess: Where Do States Stand on ObamaCare Expansion?

State leaders are wrestling with whether to take part in the Affordable Care Act’s newly voluntary Medicaid expansion. Several policy and political concerns are driving their decisions.

It May Be Time ‘To Take the Pain’ on Medicaid

New Kaiser Family Foundation data illustrate the rise in Medicaid enrollment and lawmakers’ continuing struggle to control costs. Budget battles in Washington state, not Washington, D.C., may show the future of the program: stark efforts to slow utilization.

What’s Best Enrollment Process for Dual Eligibles?

State officials face a key decision in orchestrating a shift into managed care for more than one million Californians who are beneficiaries of both Medicare and Medi-Cal: How to enroll people in the new plans. We asked stakeholders and experts to discuss pros and cons of various enrollment options.

Will ‘Most Important Study in Decades’ Matter for Reform?

Although Medicaid is set to be the backbone of the Affordable Care Act’s health coverage expansion, the program is beset by criticism from conservatives. Health policy experts hope that a once-in-a-generation study will strengthen the case for preserving the program.

Next Political Battle Brewing on Medicaid Messaging

Democrats have seized on Republicans’ planned reforms to Medicare, using the issue to frame their deficit reduction talks and as a starting point for political campaigns. While the GOP’s Medicaid proposal has drawn less scrutiny, advocates are expected to focus on threats to the program’s funding in the coming weeks.

President’s First Major Reform to Reform Law May Be DOA

President Obama now backs an effort to let states opt out of significant elements of the health reform law sooner than currently allowed. However, the president’s decision to concede an aspect of his overhaul may not be much of a concession, as the legislation is unlikely to pass.

New Year, but Same Old Budget Challenges

From coast to coast, governors and state legislators are assuming or returning to office with a common cry: We need to cut Medicaid. Are there new solutions to this old problem?

Rationalizing Rationing in Arizona’s Medicaid Program

Both parties have debated whether the federal health reform law would lead to rationing. After Arizona’s unprecedented cuts to its Medicaid program, new questions have emerged about the difficult trade-offs around health care spending.

Golden State Looks On as Others Threaten To Cut Medicaid

Can states pull out of the Medicaid program — and will they? The questions have taken on sudden importance, as some state officials suggest that health reform’s costs are too high and the federal program too restrictive.