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Friday, September 4 · 7 stories
- State Policy · MS
Mississippi Physician Advocates Medicaid Expansion to Address Budget Gap and Uncompensated Care
A physician is advocating for Mississippi to expand Medicaid, arguing it would provide health coverage to 67,000 additional state residents. The expansion would reduce uncompensated care costs for providers and help address the state's budget shortfall. Mississippi remains one of ten states that have not adopted Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. The physician frames expansion as a solution to fiscal pressures and coverage gaps affecting the state.
- State Policy · MS
Delta Health Alliance Opens Clinic in Leland Serving Uninsured and Medicaid Patients
Delta Health Alliance opened the Delta Cares Center in Leland, Mississippi on September 3, 2026, expanding access to dental and rehabilitative therapy services for uninsured, underinsured, and Medicaid patients in the Mississippi Delta. The $10 million USDA-funded facility will serve up to 500 rehabilitative therapy patients and 2,000 dental patients in its first year, using a sliding-scale fee structure starting at $3 and offering free transportation. The center addresses critical access gaps in a region with some of the worst health outcomes in the nation, where residents have historically faced long wait times and limited preventive care options.
- State Policy · NV
Nevada Medicaid Launches Enrollee Outreach Ahead of January Work Requirements
Nevada Medicaid began mailing notices to affected enrollees in early September regarding work requirement eligibility changes taking effect January 1, 2027. The Nevada Health Authority will follow up with text messages and emails throughout September. The changes stem from President Trump-backed policy. Nevada joins a growing number of states implementing work requirements for certain Medicaid populations, which will affect eligibility determination and ongoing enrollment processes.
- State Policy · OR
Oregon Rural Hospital Implements Cuts Ahead of Medicaid Reimbursement Reductions
Blue Mountain Health District in Eastern Oregon is implementing austerity measures in advance of upcoming Medicaid reimbursement cuts. The hospital district is reducing services and staff as it prepares for lower state Medicaid payments. The cuts reflect broader financial pressures facing rural providers as states adjust Medicaid spending. Rural hospitals serving high Medicaid populations face heightened vulnerability to rate reductions, potentially limiting access to emergency and inpatient services in underserved areas.
- State Policy · NC
North Carolina Budget Adds $160M for Childcare Subsidies, Pilots Family Childcare Home Supports
North Carolina's new state budget includes approximately $160 million in additional childcare subsidy funding, bringing annual subsidy spending above $650 million and establishing the state's first reimbursement floor tied to 2023 market rates. The budget also funds rural home-based childcare pilots, workforce academies, and a liability insurance study, as the state grapples with a dramatic decline in licensed family childcare homes — from 4,500 in 2005 to just over 1,000 today. Ninety-six percent of providers will see subsidy reimbursement increases. The North Carolina Task Force on Child Care and Early Education, which met on August 31, emphasized that family childcare homes provide essential capacity for infants, toddlers, nontraditional work schedules, and rural communities, but providers face financial barriers including health insurance costs, administrative burdens, and lack of retirement benefits that undermine program sustainability.
- State Policy · AR
CMS Approves $149M Arkansas Medicaid Waiver for Rural Telehealth and Preventive Care
CMS approved a $149.3 million Arkansas Medicaid demonstration waiver to expand telehealth services and improve access to specialty care and preventive screenings in rural areas. The waiver allows Arkansas to use federal matching funds to support telehealth infrastructure, provider networks, and care coordination for Medicaid beneficiaries in underserved rural communities. The demonstration period begins immediately and runs through a specified end date. This matters for Arkansas Medicaid managed care plans and rural providers who will need to integrate new telehealth capabilities and expand specialty care networks under the waiver terms.
- State Policy · IN
CMS Approves $120 Million Indiana Medicaid Waiver for Maternal Health and Workforce Expansion
CMS approved Indiana's 1115 waiver amendment providing $120 million in federal funding to expand maternal and infant health services, increase primary care access, and grow the healthcare workforce. The waiver includes targeted services for pregnant individuals and infants, workforce recruitment and retention programs, and enhanced care coordination. Effective immediately, the waiver runs through the current demonstration period. This approval reflects CMS's continued support for state flexibility in addressing maternal health outcomes and provider shortages through Medicaid demonstration authority.
Thursday, September 3 · 8 stories
- State Policy · KS
Kansas Advocacy Report Calls for Medicaid Rate Increase, Maternal Health Reforms
The United Methodist Health Ministry Fund released a report urging Kansas to raise Medicaid obstetric reimbursement rates for the first time in over 30 years and expand maternity care access in underserved areas. The report recommends increasing insurance coverage, expanding telehealth, creating regional care partnerships, and coordinating community-based providers to address workforce shortages and maternal mortality — which has doubled in 20 years and is 75% higher for Black women than white women. The assessment targets geographic and racial inequities affecting Medicaid beneficiaries and low-income mothers, who face higher mortality risk. Implementation would require state budget action and policy changes to sustain obstetric services in rural hospitals, many of which have closed maternity units in the past decade.
- State Policy · OK
Oklahoma Warns 250,000 Medicaid Enrollees of New Federal Work Requirements
The Oklahoma Health Care Authority has notified over 250,000 SoonerCare enrollees that new federal work requirements may affect their Medicaid eligibility. Yellow letters were mailed last week instructing recipients how to maintain coverage. The state agency is implementing the federal mandate, which would require certain adult Medicaid beneficiaries to meet work, training, or community engagement activities to remain eligible. Implementation timing and specific exemption categories were not detailed in the announcement.
- State Policy · IL
Illinois Hospitals Face Billions in Losses Under Federal Medicaid Financing Changes
A new study finds that Illinois hospitals stand to lose billions of dollars due to federal changes in Medicaid financing policy. The analysis projects significant financial strain on hospital systems statewide as reimbursement structures shift. The changes will particularly affect hospitals that rely heavily on Medicaid revenue, potentially threatening access to care in vulnerable communities. Hospital associations are evaluating options to offset the anticipated revenue losses through state policy adjustments or supplemental payment programs.
- State Policy · CT
Connecticut Lawmakers Threaten Subpoena Over Hospital's Gender Care Agreement with DOJ
Connecticut House Human Services Committee co-chairs Matt Lesser and Jillian Gilchrest are threatening to subpoena Connecticut Children's Medical Center to obtain details of the hospital's settlement with the U.S. Department of Justice regarding gender-affirming care for minors. The DOJ announced in August 2026 that Connecticut Children's agreed to stop providing gender-affirming care to minors, including hormones and puberty blockers, and pay a monetary penalty plus $500,000 in additional medical care. The lawmakers sent a letter requesting copies of the agreement and all correspondence between the hospital and DOJ, citing state law granting committee chairs subpoena power. Connecticut Children's agreed to meet with lawmakers next week and stated it did not turn over patient health information during the investigation or settlement process.
- State Policy · RI
Rhode Island Governor Pledges $16M Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase in 2027 Budget
Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee announced plans to include $16 million in his next budget to increase Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care providers. The commitment follows a yearlong review by the state's Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner examining primary care payment rates. The proposal would take effect with the fiscal year 2027 state budget if McKee is reelected. The rate increase responds to chronic concerns about Medicaid primary care access and provider participation driven by below-market fee schedules.
- State Policy · PA
Pennsylvania Labor Agency Launches Proactive Wage Compliance Reviews of Home Care Providers
Pennsylvania's Department of Labor and Industry announced September 2, 2026, that it will proactively investigate Minimum Wage Act violations across home care agencies statewide, rather than waiting for worker complaints. The initiative targets an industry where nearly 40% of the state's wage complaints originate, affecting an estimated 100,000 home care workers. Agencies received legal demands for wage and hour records starting Wednesday. The state will focus on unpaid overtime, travel time between clients, and improper sleep-time deductions — common violations in a sector heavily reliant on Medicaid reimbursement for personal care services.
- State Policy
Self-Pay Hospital Visits Rise Following Medicaid Disenrollment, Epic Research Finds
Self-pay hospital visits are increasing as Medicaid enrollment declines following the end of pandemic-era continuous enrollment protections, according to an Epic Research study published August 31, 2026. The research documents rising uncompensated care across hospital settings linked to coverage losses in both Medicaid and ACA markets. The trend reflects ongoing fallout from Medicaid redeterminations that began in spring 2023, with states continuing to process eligibility reviews and disenroll individuals who no longer qualify or fail to complete renewal paperwork. State Medicaid agencies and safety-net hospitals face mounting financial pressure as former enrollees present for care without coverage.
- State Policy · TX
Texas Governor Defends State Medicaid Hospital Funding Amid Federal Scrutiny
Texas Governor Greg Abbott publicly defended the state's Medicaid hospital funding structure, which channels nearly $10 billion annually to hospitals. A spokesman stated Texas has not violated federal requirements that would disqualify the funding. The statement comes amid apparent federal scrutiny of the arrangement. The defense is notable given Texas leadership's typically reserved stance on Medicaid program operations.
Wednesday, September 2 · 11 stories
- State Policy · VT
Vermont Spends $161 Million Annually Training Medical Residents With 50% Out-Migration Rate
Vermont invests $161 million per year training 320 medical residents and fellows at the University of Vermont Medical Center, retaining roughly 50 physicians annually — approximately half of graduates. The effective cost per retained physician exceeds $3 million, rising higher for longer programs like surgery. A letter writer contrasts this slow-pipeline approach with Southwestern Vermont Medical Center's published retention strategy for nursing staff, which avoids reliance on temporary travelers, and notes SVMC's own residency program won't produce retaining physicians until 2032.
- State Policy · SC
South Carolina Medicaid Director Discusses HCBS Strategy and Legislative Relations
South Carolina Medicaid Director Eunice Medina outlined the state's approach to home and community-based services, legislative engagement, and member-centered policy in an interview with the National Association of Medicaid Directors. Medina discussed operational priorities for South Carolina's Medicaid program and strategies for maintaining stakeholder relationships. The interview provides insight into how one state Medicaid agency is structuring its leadership approach to HCBS and policy implementation. This offers state agencies and managed care organizations a window into South Carolina's current Medicaid direction under Medina's leadership.
- State Policy · VA
Virginia Expands Medicaid Waiver Slots But Thousands Still Wait for Disability Services
Virginia has increased Medicaid waiver slots for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, but demand continues to exceed capacity. Thousands remain on waiting lists after losing school-based special education services at age 22, facing a "services cliff." The state's expansion addresses some gaps but has not eliminated waitlists for long-term services and supports. This ongoing capacity shortfall leaves young adults with disabilities without continuity of care as they transition from educational to adult service systems.
- State Policy · VA
Virginia Governor Issues Executive Order Responding to Federal Medicaid Cuts
On August 25, 2025, Virginia Governor Abigail Spanberger signed Executive Order 20 establishing the "Keep Virginia Covered" policy to address federal Medicaid and SNAP reductions enacted through H.R.1. The federal legislation cuts approximately $1 trillion from Medicaid nationwide over 10 years, with Virginia projected to lose $1.8 to $2.6 billion annually in federal funding beginning in 2028. An estimated 300,000 Virginians are at risk of losing Medicaid coverage as a result. The executive order directs state agencies to develop strategies to mitigate coverage losses and maintain program access in the face of reduced federal support.
- State Policy · CA
Former California Lawmaker Calls for Unified Health Care Cost Control Strategy
A former California state legislator argues that California's health care system, costing over $400 billion annually, requires a cohesive long-term strategy rather than piecemeal legislative fixes. The author, who helped establish the California Office of Health Care Affordability (OHCA) and the state's all-payer claims database, contends that meaningful cost control demands data transparency, cross-sector coordination, and accountability mechanisms to counter fragmented policy approaches driven by competing interests. The commentary frames affordability as essential to maintaining public trust and access amid state budget pressures and federal funding uncertainty.
