February Mediciad Report

AIDS Treatment Data Network

The Network (ATDN) is a national, not for profit organization that provides case management, treatment and care access education and information, advocacy and counseling, and other services for people with chronic hepatitis, AIDS, and HIV/Hepatitis co-infection. There is no fee, charge or donation required to receive our services.

We accept and appreciate donations of any amount, but a contribution is not required to receive our services. Many of our services are provided by volunteers, so please e-mail us first at The Network for help getting drugs or services. Please include your zip code and/or city and state, as well as the drug or treatments or services you need Names and return phone numbers are also very helpful. If you are unable to e-mail us for any reason, our national toll-free number is (800) 734-7104. You can leave a message at extension 16.

case management services

People with HIV or HIV/Hepatitis co-infection who live in the New York City area (all boroughs as well as surrounding areas and parts of New Jersey) can enroll in our no fee, no insurance required case management program.

February Medicaid Report

Here's the February 1, 2008 issue of the Medicaid Watch, which reports eligibility and access developments in states' Medicaid, SCHIP, SPAP, ADAP, health insurance risk pool and subsidized health insurance programs. Recent, notable, pending and proposed actions which expand eligibility or access appear in blue, while recent, notable, pending and proposed developments that reduce eligibility or access are printed in red. The last two pages contain a listing of information and policy sources and resources on state health programs, with the most timely and recent items highlighted in yellow.

This month we add two new and notable news items: The federal government has announced the 2008 federal poverty level (FPL) figures, and we now provide the most current data on the amounts of each state's aged/disabled and parent Medicaid income eligibility levels.

In addition, beginning in recent earlier editions, we also now report on:

the adequacy - or, what is sadly the case in almost all states, the inadequacy - of state physician and dentist provider rates (when they're too low, few providers accept state patients, who then have limited access to care and must rely instead on overcrowded emergency rooms and low income clinics)
current or impending state budget shortfalls (unfortunately, when economic downturns reduce state tax collections, states typically respond by cutting provider fees, scope of services and/or even eligibility coverage for their poorest, most vulnerable - and often sickest - citizens)
the existence of state high risk health insurance pools and whether they offer premium discounts to low income patients and/or Medicare supplement plan options
any state limits on the number of covered prescriptions per month
which states have or don't have Medicaid spenddowns
eligibility and access news about state AIDS Drug Assistance Programs (ADAPs)
the access barriers imposed by some states' co-pay and co-insurance rules
State Pharmacy Assistance Programs (SPAPs), if they fully cover all the disabled as well as the aged, how they - and, where relevant, how they and state Medicaid programs - interact with Medicare Part D
whether states have made adequate arrangements to streamline the Medicaid eligibility process for SSI and/or state supplementary payment (SSP) recipients; and, of course
the nature, scope, eligibility criteria and status of any state eligibility-widening waivers or other health coverage expansion actions or proposals

As always, we urge you to share this with your colleagues and affiliates at the state and local level

Email me at tomxix@ix.netcom.com with any news items, comments, or corrections.

Regards,

Thomas P. McCormack
Editor, MEDICAID WATCH
Public Benefits Eligibility Policy Consultant (TIICANN)
www.tiicann.org
Washington, DC
(202) 479-2543