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Tuesday, September 1 · 24 stories
- State Policy · OR
Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Removed After One Month
Oregon Health Authority removed Oregon State Hospital Superintendent Sean Murphy after a one-month trial period, following the August 1 resignation of OHA Director Sejal Hathi who appointed him in June. Jim Diegel, former interim superintendent and hospital operations strategist, will return to lead the facility while OHA searches for a permanent replacement. The facility faces ongoing compliance issues including a July federal lawsuit over patient care and nearly $5 million in fines for failing to place patients within court-ordered seven-day timelines, though it returned to compliance in June 2026.
- State Policy · GA
Georgia ACA Exchange Plans Propose Premium Increases Up to 29% for 2027
Health insurers on Georgia's ACA marketplace have proposed premium increases ranging from 10% to 29% for 2027 coverage, with open enrollment beginning November 1, 2026. Two insurers—Cigna and UnitedHealthcare—are exiting the market, while Antidote is entering. These increases follow 2026 rate hikes after Congress allowed pandemic-era enhanced ACA subsidies to expire, which led approximately 350,000 Georgians to drop coverage. The proposed rates are not final and remain subject to state review and federal subsidy calculations.
- State Policy · KY
Kentucky Begins Implementing 2024 Kinship Care Law After Two-Year Budget Dispute
Kentucky's Cabinet for Health and Family Services has begun implementing SB 151, a 2024 law providing financial support to relatives raising children who would otherwise be in state foster care. The implementation follows a two-year standoff between Governor Beshear and the legislature over funding, resolved when lawmakers allocated $12 million over the 2026-2027 biennium—below the $30 million Beshear requested. The cabinet issued guidance in July establishing procedures for kinship care placements, allowing eligible relative and fictive kin caregivers to receive foster care per diem payments ranging from $27 to $81 depending on the child's age and medical complexity. Advocates express concern about potential barriers in the application process and lack of public input on implementation procedures.
- Industry
Centene Names Bradley Bolivar Chief Information Officer
Centene Corporation has appointed Bradley Bolivar as Chief Information Officer. Bolivar joins from Fannie Mae and will lead the company's information technology strategy. The appointment comes as insurers, including Medicaid managed care organizations, increasingly integrate artificial intelligence into operations. No effective date was specified in the announcement.
- Industry · NY
Troy Hospital Keeps Birthing Center Open After Community Opposition
A hospital in Troy, New York, reversed plans to close its birthing center following bipartisan community opposition to the closure. The facility is the county's last birthing center. Local Democrats and Republicans joined forces to challenge the closure decision by the national Catholic health system that operates the hospital. The reversal preserves maternity services in a county that would otherwise have lost all local birthing options.
- State Policy · SD
South Dakota Food Assessment Recommends Medicaid-Funded Produce Prescriptions to Address Food Insecurity
A new statewide food landscape assessment in South Dakota found 30% of residents at risk of food insecurity skip meals to stay within budget. The report recommends introducing produce prescription programs — which allow healthcare providers to prescribe fruits and vegetables redeemable at stores or markets — potentially funded through a Medicaid waiver, similar to approaches used in other states. The South Dakota Healthy Nutrition Collaborative plans to discuss the recommendation with state lawmakers during the 2027 legislative session. The assessment was produced by the state Department of Health, Avera Research Institute, University of South Dakota, and the collaborative, which includes state agencies responsible for Medicaid and social services.
- Federal Policy
Opinion Argues Trump Administration Increases Administrative Burden on Federal Health Programs
An opinion piece argues the Trump administration has increased administrative requirements for federal health programs, including Medicaid, and biomedical research grants. The authors claim these changes worsen the existing "time tax" — the 10.5 billion hours Americans spent on federal paperwork in 2023 — which the government estimates causes $140 billion in unclaimed benefits annually. The commentary suggests increased bureaucracy at HHS affects scientists seeking grants and Medicaid beneficiaries navigating enrollment or benefits. No specific policy changes or dates are detailed in the excerpt provided.
- State Policy
Five States Face Medicaid Ballot Measures in November Midterm Elections
Multiple state ballot measures in the upcoming November midterm elections will determine Medicaid program direction, including potential coverage expansions, funding restrictions, or administrative changes. Specific proposals vary by state but could affect eligibility rules, state budget allocations for Medicaid, or program structure. Voters will decide these measures on Election Day, with implementation timelines depending on state law. The outcomes will directly shape Medicaid program scope and financing in affected states.
- State Policy · FL
Florida Task Force Reviews $2.7 Billion in Medicaid ABA Services, No Recommendations Yet
A Florida legislative task force met September 1 to review applied behavioral analysis (ABA) services for children with autism and developmental disabilities, examining $2.7 billion in annual Medicaid spending across home, school, office, and community settings. The panel, established by the Legislature in FY 2026-27 budget negotiations, is in information-gathering mode and heard presentations on service delivery patterns, including data showing average ABA service duration of 32.5 months and about 10,000 recipients receiving services for five years or more. The task force is charged with recommending revisions to Florida's ABA delivery model to improve care continuity and program sustainability, with final recommendations due to the Legislature by December 31, 2026.
- Federal Policy
SNAP Eligibility Changes Threaten Free School Meal Access for Low-Income Students
Over 1 million children lost SNAP benefits following implementation of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which imposed new work requirements and state cost-sharing provisions. Because many students qualify automatically for free school meals through household SNAP or Medicaid participation, reductions in those programs directly threaten school meal eligibility. Schools offering universal free meals under USDA's Community Eligibility Provision face potential loss of federal reimbursement, as funding formulas tie reimbursement rates to SNAP enrollment percentages. The 30-day grace period for previously qualified students is ending as the 2026-27 school year begins, with advocates warning of increased childhood hunger and academic impacts.
- State Policy · AR
Arkansas Expands Maternal Life360 Home Visiting Program to Northwest Arkansas
Arkansas expanded its Maternal Life360 program to Mercy Hospital Northwest Arkansas on August 31, 2026, providing home visits for high-risk Medicaid and expansion enrollees through a child's second birthday. The program, operated through Family Network, offers pregnancy education, postpartum support, and resource navigation in English, Spanish, and Marshallese. Mercy Northwest Arkansas becomes the fourth active site; the state plans further expansion to address Arkansas's high maternal and infant mortality rates.
- State Policy · KS
Kansas Pharmacist Reports Revenue Loss Under New PBM Transparency Law
Kansas pharmacist Will Anderson reports his Lawrence pharmacy is losing revenue following implementation of Senate Bill 20, which took effect in April 2026 after passage in March. The law bans spread pricing by pharmacy benefit managers, sets a floor for pharmacy reimbursement, and requires transparent reimbursement formulas based on actual drug acquisition costs plus dispensing fees. Anderson, who advocated for the law, expects the revenue loss to reverse as the industry adapts and says similar reforms in other states generated significant Medicaid savings — Ohio eliminated spread pricing and saved over $224 million in one year.
- State Policy · NH
New Hampshire Disability System Records 21 Abuse Cases, 30 Deaths in First Half of 2026
State records show 21 confirmed cases of sexual, physical, or emotional abuse and 30 deaths occurred in New Hampshire's state-run intellectual and developmental disability care system from January through June 2026. The system, which contracts with private agencies to serve people with disabilities including autism and cerebral palsy, received 280 reports of abuse, neglect, or exploitation during this period; state investigators deemed 75 credible, with 88 investigations still incomplete. The data indicates continued systemic problems nine months after a media investigation documented widespread abuse and neglect in the program, which serves Medicaid-funded LTSS beneficiaries.
- State Policy · TX
Texas Medicaid Application Backlog Reaches 210,000 Amid SNAP Accuracy Requirements
Texas' Medicaid application backlog grew by more than 209,000 cases between January and August 2026, reaching a total backlog exceeding 210,000, according to state data shared in stakeholder meetings. The SNAP backlog grew by over 146,000 during the same period. State officials and advocates attribute the delays to new SNAP accuracy requirements affecting eligibility processing capacity. The backlog directly delays coverage for eligible individuals and may affect states' federal performance metrics under Medicaid timeliness standards.
- State Policy
Developmental Disability Providers Report Financial Crisis From State Agency Payment Delays
Developmental disability service providers report they are nearing financial insolvency due to payment delays and administrative dysfunction at state Medicaid agencies, following more than two years of erroneous disenrollments during unwinding. Providers cite slow agency responses, unresolved eligibility issues, and accumulating unpaid claims for HCBS and developmental disability services. The timeline spans the entire unwinding period from 2024 through present day. This threatens the stability of the DD service delivery system and access to long-term services and supports for one of Medicaid's most vulnerable populations.
- State Policy · NM
New Mexico Projects 89,000 Medicaid Enrollees Could Lose Coverage Under Federal Work Requirements
New Mexico state officials estimate approximately 89,000 Medicaid enrollees — roughly 10% of total program enrollment — could lose coverage when federal work requirements in the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act" take effect. State agency leaders announced the projection during a Monday news conference. The work requirements represent a significant shift in Medicaid eligibility policy that would require certain adult enrollees to meet work or work-related activity thresholds to maintain coverage. The projected coverage losses would directly affect state budget planning, MCO enrollment, provider revenue, and uncompensated care levels.
- Federal Policy
Trump Administration Announces Medicaid Drug Pricing Agreements with Nine Companies
The Trump administration announced new Medicaid drug pricing agreements with nine midsize biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Under the agreements, companies will charge state Medicaid programs prices equal to the lowest available globally. President Trump stated the deals will apply to every drug from participating firms. The announcement was made Monday in the Oval Office with company executives present.
- State Policy · TX
Texas Hospitals Lose $27 Million Daily as Federal Medicaid Supplemental Payments End September 1
The Trump administration will terminate $9.8 billion in supplemental Medicaid funding to Texas hospitals effective September 1, 2026, resulting in $27 million in daily losses statewide. The funds currently help hospitals cover the gap between Medicaid reimbursement rates and actual service costs. Texas hospitals will face immediate financial pressure as the supplemental payments — which support uncompensated care and low Medicaid reimbursement — are eliminated. This action affects hospital margins, capacity to serve Medicaid beneficiaries, and potentially network adequacy for managed care organizations contracting with affected providers.
Monday, August 31 · 111 stories
- State Policy · NJ
Rutgers Dental School Expands Free Sealant Program in New Jersey Schools
Rutgers School of Dental Medicine launched a school-based dental sealant program serving low-income school districts across New Jersey, providing free preventive care including sealants and oral health screenings to students. The program treated 200 students in Franklin Township starting in February 2026 and plans to expand to Atlantic County schools in fall 2026. The state Department of Health provided $55,000 in grants to support the initiative, which addresses New Jersey's high rates of untreated dental disease among children — more than one-third of third graders have untreated decay compared to one-fifth nationwide. The program targets children in Medicaid and low-income families, who face higher decay rates and limited access to pediatric dentists accepting Medicaid.
- State Policy · GA
Georgia GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Jackson Pledges to Exit State Medicaid Staffing Contracts if Elected
Republican Georgia gubernatorial candidate Rick Jackson says he will terminate his healthcare companies' state contracts if elected governor in November 2026, but would not rule out contract extensions before the election. Jackson Healthcare subsidiaries have received nearly $1 billion from Georgia agencies since fiscal year 2020, primarily through medical staffing contracts with the Department of Community Health. A contract with the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities was recently extended through June 2027, six months into the next governor's term. Jackson stated he would invoke a 30-day termination clause immediately after the election if he wins.
