State Policy
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- State Policy · WA
250,000 Washington Residents Risk Losing Medicaid Next Year
Citing OPB's First Look newsletter, which references KUOW reporting, roughly 250,000 Washington residents may lose Medicaid coverage next year. The newsletter item does not detail the specific cause, but flags it as a looming coverage loss affecting a large share of the state's Medicaid population. The broader newsletter primarily covers the Bend, Oregon school shooting investigation and other Northwest news, with this Medicaid item appearing as a headline link. No timeline or policy mechanism is specified in the source material.
- State Policy · MI
Michigan Cancels 955 ACA Enrollees in Federal Fraud Crackdown
Michigan's Department of Insurance and Financial Services reports that 955 Affordable Care Act enrollees, covering 706 policies, had coverage canceled on Aug. 31 as part of a nationwide federal crackdown on alleged marketplace fraud. Another 1,372 enrollees, covering 1,065 policies, remain under review as of Sept. 23. The national effort, announced by Vice President JD Vance, cut roughly 760,000 enrollees from ACA exchanges and flagged 419,000 more for review, citing $2.2 billion in taxpayer savings. State officials say they saw rising complaints about unauthorized enrollments and plan switching starting in 2025, and some enrollees have since been reinstated; those wrongly canceled can contact the Marketplace Call Center or the state agency for help.
- State Policy · OR
Oregon Approves 11-Hospital Rural Purchasing Network
The Oregon Health Authority approved the Cascades Rural High Value Network, letting 11 rural hospitals, including Bay Area Hospital, Grande Ronde Hospital and Curry Health District, pool purchasing power for supplies and equipment while remaining independently owned. Cibolo Health, which manages similar rural networks nationally, will operate the network, which plans to share data tools combining payer and patient records to flag high-risk patients and coordinate specialist referrals and transfers. The network requested $17.5 million over five years from the Rural Health Transformation Program to fund the shared data system, care coordinators and a referral hub. OHA's approval requires members to stay independently owned for at least five years, prohibits sharing sensitive pricing data, and mandates annual progress reporting.
- State Policy · NV
Commentary: Author Argues Nevada Tax Policy Shifts Medicaid Cuts' Burden to Working Families
In a Nevada Current commentary, the author argues that federal tax cuts paired with Medicaid reductions are leaving Nevada's working families to absorb rising healthcare costs while wealthy residents and corporations benefit from a regressive state tax structure. The piece cites projections that 31,000 Nevada Medicaid enrollees will lose coverage over the next three years, $100 million in lost hospital revenue, and Henderson Hospital's recent NICU closure, alongside a 17% premium increase for ACA marketplace plans. The author contrasts Governor Joe Lombardo's "no new taxes" campaign pledge with Nevada's tax incidence data showing low-income families pay 11.9% of income in state and local taxes versus 2.8% for the wealthiest 1%. The commentary calls on state lawmakers to close corporate and wealthy-resident tax loopholes to fund healthcare and education ahead of the next legislative session.
- State Policy · OH
Ohio Proposes New Rules on Medicaid Provider Suspensions
In a client alert, Shumaker, Loop & Kendrick reports that the Ohio Department of Medicaid has proposed two new administrative rules addressing provider suspensions. OAC 5160-1-17.5 would replace the existing rule governing suspension of Medicaid provider agreements, while OAC 5160-1-17.51 would replace an emergency rule ODM adopted on June 2, 2026, governing suspension of claims payments. The proposals come as CMS intensifies federal scrutiny of Medicaid fraud, waste, and abuse. The rules affect Ohio Medicaid-enrolled providers who could face agreement or payment suspensions under the revised standards.
- State Policy · NJ
Commentary: Authors Urge NJ to Reform Collapsing Public Health Plan
In a New Jersey Monitor commentary, the authors argue that New Jersey's State Health Benefits Program is collapsing under rising premiums, with some family coverage now exceeding $68,000 annually, prompting local governments to drop out, shift costs to workers, or raise property taxes. They write that labor and management groups have united behind reforms including reference-based pricing, claims auditing, and pharmacy benefit manager changes, and cite Oregon, Connecticut, Montana, and Washington as states that cut healthcare costs through public purchasing power without reducing benefits. The authors contend that allowing the plan to shrink would raise private market prices statewide and threaten retiree benefits, and they call on Gov. Sherrill and the Legislature to act. They also note that federal Medicaid cuts and reduced ACA subsidies make expanding, not cutting, public coverage more urgent.
- State Policy · OR
Oregon's Automatic Hospital Financial Aid Law Boosts Patient Relief
Oregon's 2024 law requires hospitals to proactively screen nearly all patients for financial aid rather than relying on applications, a presumptive eligibility model drawing national attention. At Oregon Health & Science University's hospital, the share of patients automatically qualifying for assistance jumped from 12% to 64%, and statewide hospital spending on financial aid more than doubled in the first full fiscal year. Insured patients saw notable gains in assistance as well. Hospitals are now pushing back, citing screening-tool costs and financial strain from federal Medicaid and ACA subsidy cuts, even as North Carolina, California, and Delaware adopt similar presumptive eligibility requirements.
- State Policy · IA
Miller-Meeks, Bohannan Clash Over Costs, Medicaid Cuts in Iowa Debate
Republican Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks and Democratic challenger Christina Bohannan debated Tuesday in their rematch for Iowa's 1st Congressional District, with Bohannan citing Miller-Meeks' vote for the 2025 reconciliation law's Medicaid cuts as evidence she has driven up costs for Iowa families. Miller-Meeks defended the bill as lowering taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security, and touted a new steel mill project in her district. The debate, hosted by KWQC and KCRG in Davenport, was the only scheduled live matchup ahead of the Nov. 5 election in a race rated "leans Democrat" by Cook Political Report. The candidates also sparred over tariffs and congressional war powers votes tied to the Iran conflict.
- State Policy · WI
Steil, Berman clash over Medicaid cuts in Wisconsin debate
U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil (R-Janesville) and Democratic challenger Mitchell Berman debated Tuesday in Janesville ahead of the Nov. 3 election, sparring over the 2025 federal tax and spending law's Medicaid impact. Berman, an emergency room nurse, argued the law cuts roughly $1 trillion from Medicaid over a decade and will push uninsured and underinsured patients into hospitals, shifting costs onto insured residents. Steil countered that a Wisconsin budget deal with Gov. Tony Evers secured an added $1 billion in federal Medicaid matching funds for the state, accusing Berman of spreading false information. The candidates also disputed ACA marketplace subsidy expirations, with Berman citing projections of 270,000 Wisconsinites losing coverage.
- State Policy · NC
NC Health News Publishes 2026 Congressional Candidate Health Care Guide
North Carolina Health News released a voter guide compiling candidate positions on health care issues, including Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, drug and health care prices, vaccines, AI and PFAS, for North Carolina's 2026 U.S. Senate and House races. The outlet surveyed candidates starting in September and supplemented non-responses with independent research from campaign materials, social media, interviews and public appearances. The guide organizes candidate profiles by race, including the statewide Senate contest and individual House districts, with links to each candidate's stated positions. It does not report a specific policy action but serves as a voter reference tool ahead of the election.
- State Policy · MD
Maryland Governor Touts $25M Fund to Offset Medicaid Coverage Losses
At the ninth annual Bloomberg American Health Summit in Baltimore, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore highlighted $25 million in new state funding intended to help residents who lost Medicaid coverage due to the 2025 federal budget reconciliation law (H.R. 1) access care at community health centers and local health departments instead of emergency rooms. The funding was approved in July by the Health Services Cost Review Commission, and the Maryland Health Care Commission has opened applications for federally qualified health centers and certain local health departments. Moore also pointed to the state's new Vax Act, giving the state health secretary authority to issue vaccine recommendations independent of federal guidance. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott separately discussed framing gun violence as a public health issue amid a sharp drop in city homicides.
- State Policy · GA
Georgia Funds Obstetric Carts for Rural ERs After Unit Closures
Georgia is directing more than $12 million from its roughly $219 million first-year allocation under the federal Rural Health Transformation Program to place obstetric emergency carts in 43 rural hospitals that no longer offer labor and delivery services. The carts will carry neonatal resuscitation tools and medications like oxytocin and magnesium sulfate, with simulation drills to train ER doctors on high-risk birth procedures. The initiative responds to a wave of rural obstetric unit closures, including St. Mary's Sacred Heart Hospital in Lavonia, which cited Medicaid reimbursement cuts tied to federal budget legislation when it ended obstetric services. Only 36 percent of Georgia's rural hospitals now have labor and delivery units, forcing pregnant patients into long drives and emergency contingency planning; some clinicians argue the carts address symptoms rather than the underlying reimbursement pressures causing closures.
- State Policy · WA
Washington Expects 250,000 to Lose Medicaid Under Work Rules
Washington's Health Care Authority estimates roughly 250,000 of the more than 600,000 Medicaid enrollees subject to new federal work requirements will lose coverage when the rules take effect in 2027. The requirements, created under federal legislation known as HR1, mandate that enrollees document 80 hours per month of work, volunteering, or school at renewal, or qualify for an exemption, with renewals now occurring every six months instead of annually. Exemptions cover pregnant people, caregivers, and those in addiction treatment, but CMS has told the state that a "medically frail" exemption cannot rely on diagnosis alone, leaving unclear what proof chronically ill enrollees like a Seattle man with Type 1 diabetes will need to submit. The state has spent $100 million and hired about 100 additional staff to automate renewals and limit coverage losses, while a state senator argues the rules will reduce long-term dependency on public benefits.
- State Policy · CO
Colorado Children's Campaign Reports Widespread Pediatric Care Shortages
A new report from the Colorado Children's Campaign finds seven in ten Colorado children live in communities lacking enough pediatric primary care providers to meet estimated demand, with rural areas like the Eastern Plains hit hardest. The report, using 2024 state health department data, links the shortage to lower pediatrician pay and thin Medicaid reimbursement: Colorado spends an average of $2,883 annually per child enrolled in Medicaid, compared to $3,200 to $4,000 in neighboring states. More than 600,000 Colorado children rely on Medicaid or CHP+ for coverage. The findings arrive as state lawmakers face another tight budget year; in March, budget writers recommended eliminating planned stabilization payments for roughly 271 small, pediatric and rural primary care providers, raising concern among advocates that further Medicaid cuts could worsen access gaps.
- State Policy · MN
Minnesota Hospitals Warn Federal Medicaid Cuts Will Deepen Crisis
The Minnesota Hospital Association released a report Tuesday, "A Statewide Crisis of Care," warning that federal Medicaid provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act will worsen already strained hospital finances. Minnesota hospitals saw record emergency department volume in 2024, with more than a quarter losing money on operations that year. The state's Department of Human Services estimates OBBBA provider tax reductions could cost hospitals $1 billion annually, and the law is projected to cut Minnesota's Medicaid rolls by 140,000 people due to new work requirements, raising uncompensated care costs. Hospital executives previewed a contentious 2027 legislative budget fight and called for protecting the 340B drug discount program, while blaming insurers and pharmaceutical companies for rising costs.
- State Policy · WA
Washington Hospitals Project $6 Billion Medicaid Revenue Loss by 2033
A new report from Washington's state hospital and community health associations projects hospitals will lose nearly $6 billion in revenue through 2033 due to federal Medicaid funding cuts enacted last year. Sen. Maria Cantwell and healthcare leaders highlighted the findings at an Oct. 20 Seattle news conference, warning of rising ER wait times, higher premiums, staff cuts and clinic closures. Rural areas, including Washington's 6th Congressional District, are projected to be hit hardest, with Jefferson Healthcare in Port Townsend bracing for over $1 million in new uncompensated care. Roughly 200,000 Washingtonians are expected to lose Medicaid coverage by the end of next year, with new work requirements taking effect January 1 and about 10,000 immigrants already losing coverage October 1.
- State Policy · OR
Oregon Raises 2027 Capitation Rates for Coordinated Care Organizations 6.1%
The Oregon Health Authority announced new 2027 fixed monthly payment rates for the state's 15 coordinated care organizations, raising average per-member payments by nearly $630 monthly, a 6.1% increase over 2026. The agency expects federal approval by the end of 2026. Officials say the increase is meant to stabilize coordinated care organizations' finances amid coverage losses from federal policy changes and rising costs, though the increase is smaller than last year's 10.2% bump. The announcement follows Providence Health Assurance's exit from the Oregon market, citing an unsustainable financial environment, and a September state audit that found up to $4.1 million in erroneous duplicate payments under the fixed-payment program.
- State Policy · MI
Michigan League Warns of SNAP Losses, Rising State Costs
In a Michigan Advance commentary, the Michigan League for Public Policy argues that federal law changes since the 2025 reconciliation act have caused more than 172,000 Michiganders, including over 56,000 children, to lose SNAP benefits due to new paperwork and work-requirement rules. The piece cites a September roundtable where parents, food pantry leaders, a school food service director and a legal aid attorney described eligibility cliffs, disabled recipients wrongly subject to work requirements, and schools losing free-meal eligibility tied to local SNAP enrollment. It also notes that new federal cost-sharing rules took effect October 1, requiring Michigan to cover a larger share of SNAP administrative costs, estimated at $95 million this year and up to $400 million annually by next October. The authors urge Michigan's congressional delegation to act by year-end to delay the cost shift.
- State Policy · VA
Virginia Democrats Attack GOP Over Medicaid Cuts in House Races
Democratic candidates in Virginia's 1st, 2nd and 5th Congressional Districts, joined by former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg at a rally, are campaigning against Republican incumbents who voted for H.R. 1, a federal reconciliation bill Democrats say puts 300,000 Virginians at risk of losing Medicaid coverage. Candidates Shannon Taylor, Elaine Luria and Tom Perriello are challenging Reps. Rob Wittman, Jen Kiggans and John McGuire respectively ahead of the Nov. 3 election. Perriello specifically cited rural healthcare disparities and hospitals lacking obstetrics care in Virginia's South Side, linking service cuts to the bill's hospital funding changes. The article notes 13 rural Virginia hospitals have been identified as at risk of closure, with several citing H.R. 1 as a contributing factor.
- State Policy
States Report Medicaid Waiver, RHTP, and Portal Updates
In its State Health Updates roundup, State Health and Value Strategies reports several state Medicaid developments. Alaska added online renewal forms to its client portal for Medicaid and Long Term Care benefits as part of a modernization effort. Georgia requested an amendment to its Pathways to Coverage demonstration to increase FMAP funding for the waiver population starting January 1, 2027, aligning with new federal work reporting requirements under H.R. 1. Louisiana received CMS approval of its 1115 Reentry Demonstration, authorizing Medicaid pre-release services for incarcerated individuals in the 60 days before release. Delaware and Iowa detailed Rural Health Transformation Program funding supporting rural physician recruitment, maternal and behavioral health services, and health IT modernization; Colorado opened public comment on its 1332 waiver extension through October 23, 2026.