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- MEDICARE PART D REPORT FROM KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
- 2007 FEDERAL BUDGET UPDATE
- ANOTHER REMINDER: AGENCY INFORMATION FORM
MEDICARE PART D REPORT FROM KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
In a focus group recently, SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Plan) directors identified practical issues encountered by Medicare beneficiaries with respect to the new drug benefit. All of the SHIP directors who participated in the focus group reported significant casework related to data system errors that resulted in beneficiaries being enrolled in a plan other than the one they had selected, being enrolled into multiple plans, or inadvertently disenrolled from a plan.
A number of suggestions were offered in the focus group to improve the administration of the benefit, and universally it was felt that there is a need to simplify and standardize drug coverage under Part D plans to help beneficiaries and their caregivers navigate the program more easily. They also view improvements in the data systems used to support the administration of the benefit, changing the timeframe for the Part D open enrollment season so it does not coincide with the holiday season and gives beneficiaries a longer period of time to make coverage decisions, and implementing more stringent regulation of plan marketing practices as ways to improve the operation of Part D coverage. This report is now available online at: http://www.kff.org/medicare/7552.cfm .
2007 FEDERAL BUDGET UPDATE
According to ANCOR, the controversial proposals contained in President Bush's 2007 year budget, aim to reduce expenditures for Medicaid, a joint state-federal health program for low-income people, by $12.2 billion over five years. While similar proposals in previous years called for legislation, the 2007 budget plan seeks to implement the reductions through the regulatory process. In an Aug. 11 letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Michael O. Leavitt, five U.S. House Republicans reiterated their strong objections to Leavitt's intention to implement regulations reducing allowable provider tax rates and otherwise limiting Medicaid financing mechanisms.
The letter, signed by U.S. Reps. Peter T. King (N.Y.), Cliff Stearns (Fla.), Dave Reichert (Wash.), James T. Walsh (N.Y.), and Robert R. Simmons (Conn.), also expressed concern over Leavitt's lack of response to a May 8 letter, signed by more than 80 Republican members of Congress, opposing the department's decision to enact the Medicaid limitations through regulations, and without congressional review or consideration.
Specifically, the HHS proposals would limit payments to public providers to cost, reduce the allowable provider tax rate from 6 percent to 3 percent (a move that would limit states' use of taxes to fund Medicaid), and curb other Medicaid financing mechanisms, they noted.
The Republicans wrote that providers have warned that such dramatic policy initiatives would jeopardize their abilities to serve Medicaid and uninsured populations, could disrupt states' Section 1115 waiver agreements, and undermine ongoing innovations and reforms.
In late July, every Democrat in the U.S. House sent letters to the HHS secretary, urging against the proposed administrative changes to Medicaid. The Democrats said the changes would move costs from the federal government to the states, hurting states' ability to continue providing current levels of service.
ANOTHER REMINDER: AGENCY INFORMATION FORM
It’s that time of year again! If you haven’t returned the NYSACRA Information Form, please do. It has been sent out, by mail and by e-mail. As you know, this form is used to update the association’s database and to prepare our 2007 Membership Directory. The information you provide is critical to your agency’s receiving NYSACRA communications and that they be sent to the appropriate individual and is useful for networking between members. Please take a few moments to complete the form and return it to the NYSACRA office by mail, fax or electronically via the www.nysacra.org web form.
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