State News Roundup - January-February 2023

Arkansas

Assessing the Effectiveness of Policies to Improve Access to Primary Care for Underserved Populations: A Case Study Analysis of Columbia County, Arkansas
By Kona, Maanasa, et al. | Milbank Memorial Fund | Jan. 12, 2023

The Milbank Memorial Fund assessed the effectiveness of several policies aimed at improving access to primary care in Columbia County, Arkansas, a primary care desert. Expanding Medicaid has made primary care more affordable, and the state has encouraged a Medicaid patient-centered medical home program that has helped practices deliver higher-quality primary care. However, the area’s lack of medical schools and residency programs have made it difficult for health systems and practices to recruit and retain new doctors. The county does not have any mobile clinics, federally qualified health centers, or school-based health centers, though it does have a rural health clinic that serves as a safety net provider. The pandemic encouraged usage of telehealth services, though the county’s lack of broadband has hindered widespread adoption. Furthermore, the county has a higher proportion of Black residents than the rest of the state, and many county residents lack trust in medical institutions and their providers.

California

Survey of California Residents Finds Rising Health care Costs Compromise Care
By Ria Roebuck Joseph I The Center Square I Feb. 16, 2023

A survey from the California Health Foundation finds that 52 percent of respondents either skipped or delayed at least one kind of health care due to cost in the past year, with higher rates for low-income respondents and Black and Latino respondents, according to The Center Square . Higher-income respondents less frequently thought that affordability was very or extremely important compared to lower-income respondents, as were white respondents compared to Black, Latino, and Asian respondents.

California Office of Health Care Affordability’s Affordability Board to begin regular meetings this year
By Hannah Saunders | State of Reform | Jan. 17, 2023

California’s Health Care Affordability Board started holding regular meetings in January 2023, according to State of Reform. Established within the California Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA), the board will establish the state’s overall health care cost growth target for spending, as well as targets for different sectors including delivery systems, geographic regions, and individual health care entities. The board’s first report will capture baseline spending for 2022-2023, including data reported from health plans, health insurers, and fully integrated delivery systems. Notably, OHCA has the authority to enforce the cost targets through technical assistance and requiring performance improvement plans with escalating financial penalties for failure to meet targets.

Connecticut

Connecticut Hospitals Spend Less Than National Average on Financial Assistance By Robyn Anderson l Hartford Courant l Feb. 16, 2023

Two in ten Connecticut residents insured through the state's health insurance marketplace struggle to afford necessities due to health care costs, according to the Hartford Courant. Despite the burden of medical debt across the state, area hospitals spend less than the national average on financial assistance programs to support disadvantaged communities.

Colorado

New Provider Payment Tool Increases Health Care Transparency in Colorado
By Martina Dolan | AboutHealthTransparency.org | Feb. 2, 2023

Colorado’s Center for Improving Value in Health Care released the first health care transparency tool of its kind in Colorado, showing how provider payments vary across the state, reports AboutHealthTransparency.org. The provider payment tool is the first comprehensive
analysis that identifies how much providers are paid for thousands of services, using claims information from the state’s APCD.

Kansas

Despite Federal Rule, “Shopping” for Hospital Care is Still Difficult in Kansas  By Samantha Horton l KCUR l Feb. 22, 2023

Only fifteen percent of Kansas hospitals are in compliance with federal price transparency guidelines, reports KCUR. Data from a February 2023 Patient Rights Advocate report found that many hospitals in the state are not compliant with the federal rule. Beginning in 2023, the Biden administration has increased possible fines for non-compliance; however, “shopping” for services remains a challenge in the state.

Maryland

Maryland Prescription Drug Affordability Board Releases Price Trend Report

By James Sklar l State of Reform l Feb. 17, 2023

Maryland’s Prescription Drug Affordability Board released a report detailing price trends and the number of prescription drugs subject to their review, according to State of Reform. The board found that prescription drug prices outpaced inflation by a difference of 31.5 percent to 8.5 percent, and over 800 drugs have increased in price over the last three years.

Minnesota

Minnesota Releases New Prescription Drug Price Transparency Dashboard

By Minnesota Department of Health l Feb. 21, 2023

The new Minnesota Prescription Drug Price Transparency (RxPT) initiative reveals high and varied prices, according to the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH). The initiative includes detailed data available in several interactive dashboards on the MDH Prescription Drug Price Transparency website. Cursory findings from the data demonstrate that prescription drug prices have grown significantly faster than the rate of inflation. The dashboard, along with the accompanying report, provides information for consumers and policymakers as they examine prescription drug prices and efforts to curb rising prices.

New Jersey

New Jersey Expands Medicaid Coverage to Low-Income Children Across the State, Regardless of Immigration Status

By Claire Bruno l The Daily Targum l Jan. 19, 2023

New Jersey will provide Medicaid coverage to all children, regardless of immigration status, effective January 1, 2023, reports The Daily Targum. The expansion is a part of the New Jersey Cover all Kids Campaign, which began in 2021. Since the New Jersey Cover all Kids Campaign began in 2021, 47,000 New Jersey children have become eligible for Medicaid and CHIP, and this expansion is expected to cover an additional 16,000 children across the state.

New Jersey Passes Legislation Requiring Insurance Providers to Cover Cancer Screenings in Younger Populations

By Adam Clark l NJ.com l Feb. 8, 2023

New Jersey passed legislation requiring insurance companies to cover colonoscopies beginning at age forty-five, reports NJ.com. The bill also eliminates cost-sharing requirements for patients of all ages who are referred for screening after a positive result on a different screening test. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in New Jersey and disproportionately affects Black men.

Ohio

Gov. Mike DeWine Announces New Program Aimed at Reducing Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Mortality, Morbidity
By Laura Hancock | Cleveland.com | Jan. 23, 2023

Ohio Governor DeWine announced a community-based program aimed at improving the health and well-being of moms, infants, and families, reports Cleveland.com. Obstetrical practices participating in the program are required to measure and engage with patients related to access to care, cultural competency, and communication methods. Practices are expected to formally assess practice strengths and patient needs to ensure resources and best practices available are used to achieve healthier outcomes. Practices that participate in the program will be reimbursed by the state’s Medicaid program in a payment structure that rewards providers who address family needs through prenatal, birth, and postnatal periods. Ohio Medicaid estimates the program will cost five million dollars by the end of this first year, reaching over 14,000 pregnant and postpartum patients and enrolling 77 medical practices.

Pennsylvania

New Report Highlights UPMC Monopoly Harms in Pennsylvania

By Dave Muoio l Fierce Healthcare l Jan. 23, 2023

A new report from the American Economic Liberties Project details the negative impacts of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center’s (UPMC) control of the western Pennsylvania health care market, reports Fierce Healthcare. The report highlights UPMC’s practice of using market power to acquire and shut down competing hospitals and driving patients to its other facilities, thereby increasing their ability to raise prices for patients. It also includes specific policy recommendations to reform the Pennsylvania health care industry, such as increasing scrutiny over hospital mergers.

 

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