Latest Morning Briefing Stories
New Research Effort To Solve Opt-Out Problem in State’s Duals Demonstration
University of California researchers are trying to figure out where the dual-eligible demonstration project may be going wrong — and where it may be headed in the right direction.
Dual Opt-Out Numbers Are Slightly Better This Month
The percentage of dual eligibles who choose to opt out or unenroll from the Cal MediConnect program remain high, but the numbers eased a bit last month.
Progress Lauded for Former Foster Kids
Children’s advocates praised the state in a report this week for making sure former foster children receive their Medi-Cal coverage.
Researchers, Health Officials Trying to Solve Dual Eligibles’ Opt-Out Puzzle
UCLA researchers launched a project to understand the high opt-out rate in the state’s duals demonstration project, while health officials release a tool for seniors to better understand their choices.
Half of State’s Undocumented Likely To Qualify for Medi-Cal Coverage
Researchers say about half of the 2.7 million undocumented Californians have incomes low enough to qualify for Medi-Cal coverage if the state offered it.
Waiver Approval a Strong Start, Now Time for Long-Term Vision, Expert Says
State and federal health officials reached an agreement on $6.2 billion worth of waiver projects for California’s Medicaid program. One expert says it’s time to build on that with a stronger vision of Medi-Cal’s future.
$6 Billion Waiver Gets Federal Approval
California gets almost everything it wanted in a scaled-back $6.2 billion waiver request for Medicaid delivery and payment system reforms approved over the weekend by federal regulators.
From $17 Billion to $7 Billion so Far … How Far Will Medicaid Waiver Drop?
The state dropped about $10 billion from its request for a new federal Medicaid waiver. California now wants roughly $7 billion to jumpstart payment and delivery system reforms, but it may get only a portion of that lower number.
Poll Asks Duals for Opt-Out Reasoning
The high rate of seniors opting out of the Cal MediConnect program for Californians dually eligible for Medicare and Medicaid has been hard to figure out, so the state decided to ask people why they’re doing it.
State Scales Back Medicaid Waiver Request From $17 Billion to $7 Billion
CMS officials reportedly have shied from the type of funding formula advanced by California’s 1115 Medicaid waiver request.