Addressing the Health Care Impact of Hurricane Katrina August 31, 2005 Issue Brief This issue paper is an effort to begin an assessment of health care needs in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and to review some of the policy options available to the federal government to ensure access to health care for those affected by Katrina. The brief begins with a summary…
The Medicare Prescription Drug Discount Card Program: Implications for Low-income Medicare Beneficiaries April 1, 2004 Issue Brief – Issue PaperThis Issue Paper describes the discount card and low-income assistance programs and discusses their implications for low-income Medicare beneficiaries and state Medicaid programs.Issue Paper (.pdf)
Medicaid’s Optional Populations: Coverage and Benefits January 30, 2005 Issue Brief Medicaid's Optional Populations: Coverage and BenefitsMedicaid reform discussions have often focused around giving states greater flexibility over optional populations and services. This issue brief presents an overview of Medicaid's optional beneficiaries and services and provides examples of who qualifies as “optional” and the services they use. Issue Brief (.pdf)
What Has Caused the Growth in Medicaid Spending in Recent Years? January 1, 2005 Event A new study published in Health Affairs explains what caused Medicaid spending to rise from 2000-2003 and confirms the role Medicaid played in covering people during the recent economic downturn, and that Medicaid per enrollee spending grew at a slower rate than private insurance spending. The Kaiser Commission on Medicaid…
Medicare’s New Prescription Drug Benefit: The Voices of People Dually Covered by Medicare and Medicaid – Report January 1, 2005 Report Medicare's New Prescription Drug Benefit: The Voices of People Dually Covered by Medicare and MedicaidThis focus group report highlights the kinds of questions, uncertainties, and reactions that dual eligibles have when asked about the impending changes in their drug coverage.Report (.pdf)
Medicaid and State-Funded Coverage for Adults: Estimates of Eligibility and Enrollment April 2, 2004 Report Medicaid and State-Funded Coverage for Adults: Estimates of Eligibility and EnrollmentLack of health insurance coverage for low-income adults remains a pressing policy challenge. In 2002, low-income adults who were uninsured accounted for nearly half of the uninsured population. This report provides an overview of nonelderly adult eligibility for and enrollment…
Financing the Medicaid Program: The Impact of Federal Fiscal Relief, April 2004 Fact Sheet March 31, 2004 Fact Sheet Financing the Medicaid Program: The Impact of Federal Fiscal Relief, April 2004This fact sheet summarizes why federal fiscal relief to states was granted in 2003, including additional money for Medicaid; the impact of the relief in easing state budgetary pressure; and what may occur in the states after the fiscal…
Update on the Florida SCHIP Enrollment Freeze July 1, 2004 Fact Sheet This issue update describes the latest developments regarding Florida’s enrollment freeze in their SCHIP program.Fact Sheet (.pdf)
An Overview of the Independence Plus Initiative to Promote Consumer-Direction of Services in Medicaid November 30, 2003 Issue Brief This issue brief provides an overview of the Independence Plus Initiative, compares core program features with the Cash and Counseling Demonstration program, and discusses several policy issues that arise in the implementation of this initiative.Issue Paper (.pdf)
The Current State Fiscal Crisis and Its Aftermath September 1, 2003 Report This report finds that the primary cause of the state fiscal crisis is the falloff in state tax revenue. Report (.pdf)