2012 June Health Care News

The June issue of Health Care News reports Vermont will move forward in creating the first single-payer health insurance system in the United States, apparently without regard to how the U.S. Supreme Court rules on the constitutionality of President Barack Obama’s health care law.

Also in this issue:

• The federal health care law’s expansion of Medicaid, which will add upwards of 16 million Americans to the program, could restrict their access to health care unless the government increases provider reimbursement levels.

• Despite the incentive of more than $20 million in federal taxpayer funding, Idaho has decided not to create a health insurance exchange under President Barack Obama’s law.

• Approximately 44,000 working enrollees in Wisconsin’s BadgerCare program will soon have to pay into the Medicaid system to receive care as the state faces an expanded burden.

• After Republicans began a program to target waste and fraud, New York Gov. Cuomo replaced the head of the effort after providers complained the demands were too severe.

• Although Oregon Gov. Kitzhaber’s administration is putting on a brave face, there are concerns the state will be unable to fund its obligations under the exchange’s business plan if the Supreme Court strikes down Obama’s law.

• Legislation under consideration in the Missouri House would allow voters to decide in November whether to back or reject the creation of an insurance exchange under Obama’s law.

• The shift of health care responsibility to government means preventive care could be viewed through a different cost-benefit lens, leading to higher costs and bureaucratic rationing of care.