List of All Articles with Tag 'a'

The Biden administration on Monday urged states to slow down their purge of Medicaid rolls, citing concerns that large numbers of lower-income people are losing health care coverage due to administrative reasons. The nation's Medicaid rolls swelled during the coronavirus pandemic as states were prohibited from ending people's coverage. But that came to a halt in April, and states now must re-evaluate recipients' eligibility — just as they had been regularly required to do before the pandemic. In some states, about half of those whose Medicaid renewal cases were decided in April or May have lost their coverage, according to data submitted to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and obtained by The Associated Press. The primary cause is what CMS describes as “procedural reasons,” such as the failure to return forms. “I am deeply concerned with the number of people unnecessarily losing coverage, especially those who appear to have lost coverage for avoidable reasons that State Medicaid offices have the power to prevent or mitigate,” Health and Human Services Secretary Secretary Xavier Becerra wrote in a letter Monday to governors. Instead of immediately dropping people who haven't responded by a deadline, federal officials are encouraging state Medicaid agencies to delay procedural terminations for one month while conducting additional targeted outreach to Medicaid recipients. Among other things, they're also encouraging states to allow providers of managed health care plans to help people submit Medicaid renewal forms. Nobody "should lose coverage simply because they changed addresses, didn’t receive a form, or didn’t have enough information about the renewal process,” Becerra said in a statement. States are moving at different paces to conduct Medicaid eligibility determinations. Some haven't dropped anyone from their rolls yet while others already have removed tens of thousands of people. Among 18 states that reported preliminary data to CMS, about 45% of those whose renewals were due in April kept their Medicaid coverage, about 31% lost coverage and about 24% were still being processed. Of those that lost coverage, 4-out-of-5 were for procedural reasons, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Arkansas, Florida, Idaho and Oklahoma, about half or more of those whose eligibility cases were completed in April or May lost their Medicaid coverage, according data reviewed by the AP. Those figures may appear high because some states frontloaded the process, starting with people already deemed unlikely to remain eligible. CMS officials have specifically highlighted concerns about Arkansas, which has dropped well over 100,000 Medicaid recipients, mostly for not returning renewal forms or requested information. Arkansas officials said they are following a timeline under a 2021 law that requires the state to complete its redeterminations within six months of the end of the public health emergency. They said Medicaid recipients receive multiple notices — as well as texts, emails and phone calls, when possible — before being dropped. Some people probably don't respond because they know they are no longer eligible, the state Department of Human Services said. Republican Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has dismissed criticism of the state’s redetermination process, saying Arkansas is merely getting the program back to its pre-pandemic coverage intentions. But health care advocates said it's particularly concerning when states have large numbers of people removed from Medicaid for not responding to re-enrollment notices. "People who are procedurally disenrolled often are not going to realize they’ve lost coverage until they show up for a medical appointment or they go to fill their prescription and are told you no longer have insurance coverage,” said Allie Gardner, a senior research associate at the Georgetown University Center for Children and Families. __ Associated Press writer Andrew DeMillo contributed from Little Rock, Arkansas. Read More Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Speaker McCarthy eyes new commission to tackle nation's debt, but many Democrats are wary Connecticut to adjourn largely bipartisan session in contrast to rancor in other states Missouri governor signs ban on transgender health care, school sports

Instant Brands, maker of the Instant Pot pressure cooker and Pyrex glassware, filed for bankruptcy on Monday after

Kylian Mbappe has told Paris Saint-Germain he will not sign a new contract. The Real Madrid transfer target's deal in France is due to expire in 2024.

COPENHAGEN Denmark aims to raise the age limit for the collection of personal data from children by tech

BRASILIA Brazil's central bank chief, Roberto Campos Neto, indicated on Monday the improvement in market conditions is paving

PARIS French President Emmanuel Macron on Monday said that a long-anticipated Ukrainian counter-offensive against occupying Russian forces had

Manchester City paraded the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup trophies on an open-top bus tour of the city on Monday evening. Despite torrential downpours and the threat of lightning storms, thousands of fans came out to cheer the treble winners as the streets were turned into a sea of blue. Here, the PA news agency takes a look at some of the event’s memorable images.

HONOLULU--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 12, 2023--

Is broadcasting in Doc Rivers' future?

Sleep-deprived Manchester City winger Jack Grealish admits he has had “the best day and night” as the club celebrated their treble-winning season following the capture of the Champions League title. Even a typical Manchester downpour and passing lightning storm could not dampen spirits as Pep Guardiola and his squad paraded their newly-acquired European Cup alongside the Premier League trophy and FA Cup. City returned from Istanbul on Sunday afternoon and it has been one long party – with celebrations set to continue for a while longer as Grealish was overheard to ask striker Erling Haaland: ‘Are we having it?’ while on their one-mile tour around the city centre. Haaland’s response was to empty a bottle of champagne over the £100million signing, who later told a large crowd assembled in St Peter’s Square: “For the past 24 hours I’ve had the best day and night. To be fair I don’t think I’ve had any sleep.” The players had arrived for their parade via Metrolink tram from the Etihad Stadium but the weather delayed proceedings somewhat. Supporters had expected to be let into the fanzone in front of the stage at 5pm but due to the threat of lighting storms that was pushed back by 90 minutes. Rain started falling shortly after 6pm and, as a result, the start of the proceedings was delayed by 40 minutes but it did not deter the fans who came out in their droves to cheer on City’s squad and manager Guardiola, all wearing matching ‘Treble winners’ T-shirts. Halfway around those now-drenched T-shirts started to be dispensed with as City’s 52-goal striker Haaland threw his into the crowd and, with the rest of the squad, arrived on stage 45 minutes later than expected still topless. “We had to be the best parade with this rain, otherwise it is not Manchester,” Guardiola said to the delight of the waiting crowd. “We don’t want sunshine, we want rain, so it was perfect. They (fans) are used to the rain.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

ROCKFORD, Mich.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jun 12, 2023--

Evan Roberts blasted Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander.