W Post: Medicaid Programs 'Severely Challenged,' Report Says

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/21/AR2007042101019.html

Medicaid Programs 'Severely Challenged,' Report Says

By David Brown
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, April 22, 2007; Page A09

State Medicaid programs, which provide health care to some of the nation's poor, vary wildly in their eligibility criteria, the scope and quality of their care, and the amount they reimburse physicians providing it, according to an independent assessment published last week.

Overall, the programs are "severely challenged," with the best scoring the equivalent of a low D and the worst way below an F.

"This evaluation demonstrates a bleak picture for millions of people in many states," wrote the authors of the 143-page evaluation, produced by Public Citizen's Health Research Group.

The top five programs, in order of rank, were in Massachusetts, Nebraska, Vermont, Alaska and Wisconsin. The bottom five, with lowest-ranked last, were in South Dakota, Oklahoma, Texas, Idaho and Mississippi. Maryland ranked 15, the District 27, and Virginia 37.

Medicaid is paid for by both state and federal tax revenue. The federal government specifies the minimum services that must be offered, which states can broaden but not narrow.

For example, states must cover children on welfare and poor pregnant women. All states and the District also choose to cover uninsured poor women needing care for breast or cervical cancer, even though this is not a requirement. Thirteen states and the District also cover uninsured people with tuberculosis. (There are many other eligible groups, as well.) States may also apply for waivers to try experimental strategies for delivering services.

FULL story at link.