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May 10, 2023

In Focus: How Will CMS’s Proposed Rule Shift Standards for Medicaid Enrollee Access to Services? Arizona Legislature Approves $3.4 Billion for Fiscal 2023 Medicaid Managed Care Payments Arkansas Disenrolls Almost 73,000 Medicaid Beneficiaries During April Redeterminations Georgia Community Health Commissioner to Step Down Summer 2023 Idaho Finds 29,000 Ineligible Medicaid Beneficiaries During Redeterminations Healthy Blue Kansas Hires President Ahead of Bid on Medicaid Contract HAP, CareSource Form Partnership to Serve Michigan Medicaid Beneficiaries Rhode Island Senate Passes Bill to Use Medicaid Funds to Help Homeless Beneficiaries Find Housing Virginia Plan to Cut Medicaid Payments for Preventable ER Visits Is Vacated by Federal Judge 1.7 Million Medicaid Beneficiaries Could Lose Coverage if Work Requirements are Implemented, KFF Projects Option Health Care To Acquire Amedisys Cano Health Looks to Sell Non-core Assets, Focus on Medicare Advantage

March 1, 2023

In Focus: Evaluating the Delivery of Virtual Child Welfare ServicesEligibility Redeterminations: Arkansas, Alaska, Centene, Idaho, Illinois, Minnesota, Texas California to Award Medicaid Bonus Payments to Nursing Homes Illinois Releases Medicaid FFS Dental Program RFP Indiana Awards Medicaid MLTSS Contracts to Four Managed Care Organizations Iowa House, Senate Pass Separate Bills to Change Medicaid Eligibility Asset Limit North Carolina Further Delays Implementation of Behavioral Health IDD Tailored Plans to October 2023 New Mexico Lawmakers Question Cancellation of Medicaid Managed Care RFP Oregon Names Dana Hittle as Medicaid Director Medicare Advantage Insurers Report Average Margins Per Enrollee Twice as High as Other Health Insurance Markets Elevance Agrees to Acquire BCBS-LA for $2.5 Billion

April 6, 2022

In Focus: Texas Releases STAR+PLUS RFPFlorida Reaches $484 Million Settlement with Pharmacy Chain Over Opioid Claims Georgia Enacts Bill to Implement 85 Percent Minimum MLR Requirement for Medicaid Plans BCBS-Illinois Appoints Stephen Harris as President Kansas Senate Approves Bill to Extend KanCare Contracts Through 2024Minnesota DHS Recommends Actions to Improve Racial Equity, Health Outcomes in Medicaid New Mexico HCBS Providers to Receive Temporary 15 Percent Reimbursement Rate Increase Oklahoma Names Traylor Rains State Medicaid Director Rhode Island Medicaid Managed Care Bid Is Rejected After Missing Submission Deadline Biden Proposes Fix to Exchange ‘Family Glitch’ Impacting 5 Million Individuals CMS Finalizes 8.5 Percent Rate Increase for Medicare Advantage, Part D PlansIntermountain Healthcare, SCL Health Complete MergerUnitedHealth/Optum to Acquire Majority Stake in Kelsey-Seybold Clinic Federal Judge Dismisses Anthem’s Claims in PBM Lawsuit Against Cigna

June 7, 2023

In Focus: Takeaways from the Early Medicaid Unwinding ActionsIn Focus: HMA: What We're WatchingMedicaid Redeterminations New: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota. Texas, West Virginia, WyomingArkansas Submits Request for Medicaid Expansion Work Requirements Georgia Cancels RFQC for Medicaid Managed Care Plans Iowa Enacts Legislation Tightening Medicaid Eligibility Verification Nevada Medicaid Drug Spending Rose 126 Percent from 2017 to 2022 New Mexico to Extend Medicaid Managed Care Contracts Additional 6 Months New Mexico to Expand Access to Medicaid Payments for Medical, Behavioral Health Services in Schools Pennsylvania Seeks to Implement Selective Contracting for IDD Residential, Supports Coordination Services South Dakota Receives Federal Approval to Implement Medicaid Expansion in July Elevance Health Names Natalie Cooper President of Amerigroup Tennessee Texas Names Emily Zalkovsky as State Medicaid Director Merck Seeks Injunction to Block Medicare Drug Negotiation Program UnitedHealth/Optum Makes Unsolicited $3.26 Billion Bid for Amedisys

March 22, 2023

In Focus: Medicare Drug Negotiation Guidance: What You Need to KnowMedicaid Expansion News: Alabama, Kansas, Mississippi, North Carolina Arkansas Assisted Living Providers Struggle Financially After Medicaid Reimbursement Rate Increases are DelayedCalifornia Expands Availability of Medi-Medi Plans for Dual Eligibles to Five More Counties California Seeks Federal Approval of Program Covering 6 Months of Rent for Homeless Medi-Cal Beneficiaries Redeterminations News: California, Illinois, Rhode IslandIdaho House Rejects $4.7 Billion Fiscal 2024 Medicaid Budget Kentucky Governor Signs Legislation to Increase Medicaid Rates for Outpatient ProceduresNew York Senate Advances Proposal to Repeal Medicaid Managed Care Pharmacy Carve-out Most States Will Take 12-14 Months to Process Medicaid Redeterminations, KFF Survey Says PurposeCare Acquires Home Sweet Home

December 14, 2022

In Focus: Texas Releases STAR & CHIP Managed Care Services RFPCalifornia to Sanction 22 Medi-Cal Plans for Poor Quality RatingsCalifornia Governor Awards $480.5 Million in Grants for Youth Behavioral Health InfrastructureConnecticut Governor to Appoint Andrea Barton Reeves Commissioner of Social ServicesMassachusetts Medicaid Secretary To Step DownMinnesota Judge Blocks Managed Care Plan from Expanding Board of DirectorsMissouri, Mississippi, Montana, Wyoming Are Expected to Extend Medicaid Postpartum Eligibility in 2023Nevada Releases External Quality Review Organization RFPNorth Carolina Faces Lawsuit for Foster Children in Residential Psychiatric Treatment FacilitiesWyoming Requests $22 Million to Increase Nursing Home Medicaid Reimbursement Rates in 2024CMS Rule Would Increase Availability of Standardized Exchange PlansMedPAC Draft Recommendations Call for Medicare Payment Increases for Hospitals, Physicians in 2024Exchange Enrollment Rises 18 Percent in First Five Weeks of Open EnrollmentSCAN Group, CareOregon to Merge as HealthRight GroupCentene Names New President, Chief Operating Officer, Other Leadership Changes

February 21, 2024

North Carolina Releases Foster Care Specialty Plan Program RFP Florida Delays Awards for Medicaid Managed Care ITNGeorgia Proposes Bill to Establish Study Committee to Examine Private Option Medicaid Expansion WaiverIowa Senate Advances Bills Altering Postpartum Medicaid Coverage, MOMS ProgramKentucky Senate Advances Bill to Cover Midwife Services Under MedicaidMaryland Awards Behavioral Health ASO Contract to ElevanceMissouri Supreme Court Rules Against Blocking Medicaid Payments to Planned ParenthoodNebraska Legislature Considers Bill to Expand Medicaid Coverage of Anti-obesity MedicationsPennsylvania Submits Section 1115 Waiver Application Addressing Health-related Social NeedsCMS Issue Brief Finds Doulas, Community Health Workers Improve Postpartum OutcomesCMS Releases Preliminary CMS-64 2023 Medicaid, CHIP Expenditure ReportCMS Issues Final Rule Imposing Restrictions on DSH PaymentsPoint32Health to Acquire Health New EnglandBon Secours Mercy Health Enters Joint Venture with CompassusBrightside Announces New Medicaid, Medicare Partnerships to Expand Telehealth for Mental Health Services

December 13, 2023

In Focus: The Role of Specialized Managed Care in Addressing the Intersection of Child Welfare Reform and Behavioral Health Transformation Early Bird Registration Now Available for HMA’s Spring Workshop on Implementing Value Based CareMedicaid Redetermination Update: Arizona, Iowa, UtahArkansas Assisted Living Facilities Face Financial Crisis, Possibility of ClosuresCalifornia Los Angeles County Implements Free Behavioral Health Programs for K-12 StudentsFlorida Senate President Proposes Initiative to Increase Healthcare Access, WorkforceIdaho Moves Forward with Magellan Health’s Behavioral Health Plan Contract Kansas Rural Hospitals at Risk of Closing, Report FindsMassachusetts Medicaid to Cover Doula Services by Spring 2024Michigan Expands Medicaid Coverage to Include Community Health Worker ServicesNew Hampshire Releases Technical Scoring for Contract Bids on Medicaid ProcurementNew Hampshire Experiences Strong Demand in Adult Medicaid Dental ProgramNorth Carolina Provides 12-Month Continuous Medicaid, CHIP Coverage for ChildrenOregon Medicaid Committee Recommends Against SCAN Acquisition of CareOregonWest Virginia Medicaid Program Faces $114 Million Budget Deficit in Fiscal 2025CMS Guidance Promotes Tool to Improve Medicaid Access to HCBS Direct Support WorkersMedicare Advantage Market Grows More CompetitiveHouse Passes Bill Requiring Greater PBM Transparency, Hospital Site Neutrality PoliciesFederal Government to Crack Down on Anticompetitive Health Insurer TransactionsCigna, Humana Scrap Merger Discussions

October 4, 2023

In Focus: Kansas Releases KanCare, CHIP Medicaid Managed Care RFPIn Focus: Georgia Releases Medicaid Managed Care RFPAlaska Pauses Procedural Medicaid Disenrollments Florida Agencies to Report on Medicaid Redeterminations to State Senate CareSource to Partner with Pediatric Care Provider to Bid on Florida Medicaid Contract for Children, Teens with Special Needs Illinois Head of Healthcare, Family Services to Step Down Indiana Drops Molina from Medicaid MLTSS ContractIndiana Medicaid MLTSS Contracts to Begin July 2024Indiana Awards Hoosier Rx Program Contracts to Three Companies Iowa to Develop HCBS for Children With Severe Behavioral Health Needs in Lawsuit Settlement Elevance, Blue Cross Louisiana Withdraw Merger Application Louisiana Lawmakers Push to Reexamine Medicaid Technology Contract Michigan Releases State Action Plan to Improve Birth Outcomes North Carolina Medicaid Expansion to Launch on December 1 Ohio Estate Recovery Program Recovers Less Than One Percent of Fiscal 2023 Medicaid Costs Oklahoma Receives Federal Waiver Approval Enabling Transition to Medicaid Managed Care Texas Implements Vendor Contracts for Medicaid FFS Prior Authorization, Enrollment, Other Functions CMMI Value-based Models Result in $5.4 Billion Increase in Federal Spending, Report Finds Carlyle Group in Talks to Acquire Majority of 2 Medtronic Medical Device Businesses

February 15, 2023

In Focus: Mental Health and Addiction Crises Top the Federal Policy Agenda in 2023Online Registration for HMA Quality Conference Ends February 21 Alabama Legislative Committee Puts Hold on Inmate Health Contract Florida CHIP Enrollment Likely to Increase as Medicaid Redeterminations Begin Indiana House Passes Bill to Continue Medicaid Coverage of Children’s Out-of-State Hospital Care Michigan Governor Proposes $210 Million to Increase Wages for Direct Care Workers in Fiscal 2024 Budget Minnesota Lawmakers Develop Proposal for MinnesotaCare Public Option Missouri Representative Proposes Higher Income Limit for Ticket to Work Medicaid Program Montana Lawmakers Consider Bill to Allow Physician Assistants to Practice Unsupervised New Mexico Awards MMIS Contract to Conduent New York Awards $658 Million in Grants to Expand Healthcare Access North Carolina House Committees Advance Bill to Expand Medicaid, Increase Hospital Reimbursements Tennessee Governor Proposes Expanding Medicaid Eligibility Limits for Pregnant Women, Caretakers Virginia to Release Medicaid Managed Care RFP in June 2023 Virginia to Release Medicaid NEMT RFP in April 2023 West Virginia Awards Medicaid Managed Care for Foster Care Youth Contract CMS Approves Programs to Provide Nutritional Supports for Medicaid Enrollees Consonance Capital Partners Acquires Embark Behavioral HealthWakely Summary of 2024 MA Advance Notice