Health Highlights: Oct. 26, 2012
10/26/12
Here are some of the latest health and medical news
developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:
Medicaid Spending Slows: Survey
Yearly growth in Medicaid spending slowed sharply last year and
enrollment in the program increased only slightly as the U.S.
economy began to recover, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation
survey.
It found that for the fiscal year ending in June, total spending
on Medicaid rose by only 2 percent, compared with a nearly 10
percent increase in 2011. Enrollment growth was 3.2 percent,
compared with 4.4 percent in 2011 and 7.2 percent in 2010,
The New York Timesreported.
Along with an improving economy, cost-cutting by states also
played a role in reducing spending on Medicaid and enrollment in
the program, which provides health and long-term care coverage to
more than 60 million poor people and costs the federal government
and states more than $400 billion a year.
Last year, 45 states cut or froze reimbursement rates for
hospitals and doctors and 18 states scaled back benefits such as
dental, vision and drug coverage. Many states also expanded the use
of managed care for Medicaid patients,
The Timesreported.
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Planned Parenthood Loses Legal Fight Against Texas
A federal appeals court ruling Thursday has halted Planned
Parenthood's efforts to fight a Texas law that bans state funding
of the organization's affiliates.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals refused to grant Planned
Parenthood another hearing in its months-long legal challenge
against the state,
CNN reported.
Texas opposes government funding for Planned Parenthood clinics
because the group provides abortions. In March, the state said it
was willing to give up federal funding in order to run the Texas
women's Health Program itself.
Under a new rule, the state requires clinics funded by the
program to certify they do not perform abortions or are not
affiliates of organizations that perform abortions,
CNNreported.
Planned Parenthood had won an injunction against the law, but a
federal court later ruled in favor of Texas.
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Copyright © 2012
HealthDay. All rights reserved.
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