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White House links health reform to economic growth
The President's Council of Economic Advisors
(CEA) released a new report (PDF) linking health system reform and the nation's future economic growth. The CEA notes that,
in the absence of reform, health care costs will grow from 18 percent of the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) this
year to 34 percent by 2040. Even a 0.5 percentage-point reduction in the rate of growth in health care costs would limit the
2040 share of GDP to 30 percent, and slowing the rate of growth by 1.5 percent would significantly limit health care costs
to 23 percent of GDP in 2040. The report also details how health system reform will improve the nation's economy
by improving federal budget deficit projections, lowering unemployment by one-quarter of a percentage point per year—which
would account for about 500,000 jobs—and increasing the net economic well-being of U.S. citizens. La Medicaid Reform Updates
12.29.2010
CommunityCARE 2.0 - Details on the new CommunityCARE program are now available. Read the summary
11.23.2010 The
Jindal administraton plans to revamp, rather than scrap, a Medicaid program that links poor children with doctors who manage
their care. Read more.
11.19.2010
Earlier this week, the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH) held the first of several statewide,
public forums to engage patients and providers in a discussion on the reform of the La. Medicaid program. Physicians
are encouraged to attend forums in their region to ask questions and make suggestions about DHH’s proposal for managing
care for Medicaid enrollees, namely the Coordinated Care Networks (CCNs). The schedule for those regional meetings is posted
at www.MakingMedicaidBetter.com.
How do you think La. Medicaid program should be restructured?
TAKE THE SURVEY
CommunityCARE Extended to Jan 1st
The CommunityCARE program
has been extended through January 1, 2011; and a new DHH program will replace CommunityCARE, in an effort to bridge the time
between the ending of that program through the implementation of the new Medicaid system, which should be in place by the
end of 2011. Under the new program, primary care providers will receive $1.50 per member, per month for LaChip children and
$3.00 per member, per month for children who qualify for SSI. Physicians will have an opportunity to earn greater reimbursement
for LaChip patients, if they meet the quality improvement initiatives that will be part of the new program. These new quality
measures will be determined by an advisory group and DHH; and the LSMS has volunteered to appoint a physician(s) to serve
on this advisory panel. As more information is made available by DHH, the LSMS will inform its members of the details.
DHH Announces Rate Increase for Medicaid OBs
DHH announced
a series of steps aimed at reducing Louisiana's chronically high rates of premature births and infant mortality, including
an increase in the amount Medicaid pays obstetricians for vaginal deliveries. Currently, vaginal births and c-sections are
paid at the same rate of 80 percent of Medicare. Under the new system, vaginal births will be paid at 90 percent of that rate,
while c-sections will be paid at the 80 percent rate.The agency believes this will help reduce the number of C-sections and
elective inductions. Read more here.
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