Medicare Blog

under trump, how will medicare and medicaid be handled?

by Courtney Osinski Published 1 year ago Updated 1 year ago

Who pays for Medicare premiums under Trump?

Everybody in Medicare pays that, except for some very low-income enrollees who get help with their premiums from Medicaid. (That’s about 20% of Medicare beneficiaries, according to a Congressional Research Service report.) Part B premiums have gone up under Trump by 7.9%, from 2017 to 2020, the most recent figures available.

Why didn't President Trump's proposed budget cut Medicare spending?

His fiscal-year 2021 budget (proposed earlier this year) would cut hundreds of billions of dollars from Medicare over 10 years. The reason none of the changes went into effect is that Congress controls U.S. spending, not the president.

Will Medicare be affected by the Trump administration’s proposed rule?

Older adults. While Medicare-eligible seniors would be excluded, early retirees receiving Social Security but not yet eligible for Medicare could be affected. The Trump Administration proposed a rule in November 2019 that would make it harder for states to pay for their share of Medicaid costs.

What are the harmful changes to Medicaid under the Trump administration?

Trump Administration’s Harmful Changes t... President Trump has made clear that his goal remains to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults, and to impose rigid caps on the federal government’s Medicaid spending.

What is Trump's goal with Medicaid?

President Trump has made clear that his goal remains to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), including its expansion of Medicaid to low-income adults, and to impose rigid caps on the federal government’s Medicaid spending. While Congress considered and rejected a series ...

When will DHS reject Medicaid?

Beginning February 24, 2020, DHS immigration officials will be able to reject immigration applicants if they have received, or are judged likely to receive in the future, any of an array of benefits, including Medicaid. Timing for the DoS implementation of the policy has not yet been announced.

How does a block grant waiver affect health insurance?

States with block grant waivers could deny coverage for prescription drugs, allow states to impose higher copayments on people in poverty , and waive standards for managed care plans (which many states use to provide Medicaid coverage).

How many people in Arkansas lost medicaid in 2018?

In Arkansas, over 18,000 Medicaid beneficiaries — almost 1 in 4 subject to the new rules — lost coverage in 2018 as a result.

How many children would lose Medicaid in 10 years?

After ten years, more than 300,000 children would lose comprehensive coverage ...

What would happen if the poverty line was lowered?

By lowering the poverty line, that proposal would ultimately cut billions of dollars from federal health programs and cause millions of people to lose their eligibility for, or receive less help from, these programs. Many programs, including Medicaid and CHIP, use the poverty line to determine eligibility and benefits, and the cuts to these programs — and the numbers of people losing assistance altogether or receiving less help — would increase with each passing year. After ten years, more than 300,000 children would lose comprehensive coverage through Medicaid and CHIP, as would more than 250,000 adults covered through the ACA Medicaid expansion. Some pregnant women, low-income parents in non-expansion states, and people receiving family planning services through Medicaid would also lose coverage.

What would happen if the federal government capped funding?

Moreover, capped federal funding would shift financial risk to states, with federal funding cuts most likely to occur when states can least absorb them — such as during recessions, public health emergencies, and other times when states face both high demand for coverage and strain on other parts of their budgets.

When will Medicare start telemedicine?

Beginning in 2020 , Medicare Advantage plans and Next Generation ACOs (see below) may seek and obtain waivers to use telemedicine for the monitoring and treatment of diabetes, heart disease and other chronic conditions. If things go well, expect more liberalization in the future. Liberating ACOs.

What does Medicare mean by "liberating telemedicine"?

In Medicare, so far, that means liberating telemedicine, liberating Accountable Care Organizations, ending payment incentives that are driving doctors to become hospital employees, promoting hospital price transparency, deregulating paperwork and creating more transparency in the market for prescription drugs.

Can doctors treat patients remotely?

For the most part, doctors can examine, consult with and treat patients remotely only in rural areas and even there, patients can’t be treated in their own homes. Readers may be surprised to learn that even Medicare Advantage (MA) plans face the same legal constraints.

Is the Trump administration changing Medicare?

The Trump administration is making fundamental changes to the Medicare program. These reforms are every bit as radical as the changes we have seen in federal policy governing employer-provided coverage and the market for individual insurance. Further, it seems likely that the changes initiated so far are only the beginning ...

Can MA plans pay for telehealth?

But MA plans cannot pay their own doctors to conduct remote consultations with their patients.

Who is suing to block the rule change?

The American Hospital Association is suing to block the rule change. But this illustrates something important about the powers of the executive branch. Many of the reforms described here would have been done by Congress – but for the influence of powerful special interests.

Can doctors bill Medicare for Skype?

The CMS is acting aggressively to change that. As of January 1 of this year, doctors in MA plans and Accountable Care Organizations (ACOs) can now bill Medicare if they use the phone, email, Skype and other technologies to consult with patients remotely to determine if they need an in-office visit.

How much does the federal government pay for medicaid?

Funding for Medicaid, which covers more than one in five Americans, is now open-ended, with the federal government paying more than 60% of total Medicaid costs and states shouldering about 40% of the bill.

How long does the Biden administration have to reverse the decision?

The Biden administration, however, is expected to oppose the approval, which lasts 10 years. While incoming officials can reverse the decision, the state can request a hearing to challenge that determination. The overturning of approvals has rarely, if ever, happened.

Is Tennessee getting a modified block grant?

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Friday granted Tennessee's request to turn its federal Medicaid funding arrangement into a so-called modified block grant. It is the first state to receive such permission and is similar to a guidance the agency issued in early 2020.

Does Tennessee have Medicaid?

Tennessee is one of a dozen states that has not expanded Medicaid to low-income adults under the Affordable Care Act. Block grant opponents, however, say that the arrangement could lead to Tennessee reducing enrollment or benefits to enhance its potential savings and stay under the cap.

When will Medicaid be available in Georgia?

Georgia’s Medicaid section 1115 demonstration “Pathways to Coverage” applies to individuals who are between the age of 19 through 64, with income up to and including 100 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL) and is effective today through September 30, 2025, with implementation beginning July 1, 2021. Those who already qualify ...

What is the new Medicaid section 1115?

Specifically, CMS announced the approval of Georgia’s new Medicaid section 1115 demonstration called “Pathways to Coverage.”.

Fact check: 'Record' job gains still leave the U.S. labor market in worse shape than Great Recession

On the last night of his party’s convention, President Trump bragged about “record” job gains in recent months, but the 9.1 million jobs he touts come with some qualifiers.

Trump usually includes new material in major speeches. Not tonight

President Trump spoke for roughly 70 minutes on Thursday, one of the longest convention speeches in modern history.

Trump speech missing several of his favorite talking points

While President Trump launched attack after attack on Joe Biden, he left out a number of his favorite topics of criticism in his acceptance speech.

Fact check: Trump claims Biden wants to 'close all charter schools.' That's false

"Biden also vowed to oppose school choice and close all charter schools, ripping away the ladder of opportunity for Black and Hispanic children," Trump claimed on Tuesday night.

Fact check: Trump repeats out-of-context Biden comment to mislead on police stance

President Trump, arguing that Americans wouldn't be safe under Joe Biden, repeated a claim Mike Pence made Wednesday, quoting the former vice president as saying, "Yes, absolutely," as a response to whether he'd broadly support cutting funding for law enforcement.

Fact check: Trump boasts of delivering PPE early in pandemic, doesn't mention ongoing shortages

"We shipped hundreds of millions of masks, gloves and gowns to our frontline health care workers.

Trump mentions Kenosha, not Jacob Blake

Midway through his speech Thursday, Donald Trump mentioned Kenosha, Wisconsin — but did not make mention of Jacob Blake, who was shot seven times in the back by the city's police.

How much has Medicare gone up under Trump?

(That’s about 20% of Medicare beneficiaries, according to a Congressional Research Service report.) Part B premiums have gone up under Trump by 7.9%, from 2017 to 2020, the most recent figures available.

How many people will be on Medicare in 2020?

Of the about 68 million people enrolled in Medicare in 2020, 36% of them have Medicare Advantage plans, according to an analysis of government data by the Kaiser Family Foundation. Nearly all Medicare enrollees pay the Part B premium — except for some very low income beneficiaries who also receive Medicaid.

How much is Medicare Advantage 2021?

The Medicare Advantage premium figures vary considerably by state and territory: For instance, the average monthly premium for 2021 is 77 cents in Puerto Rico but $81.79 in Minnesota, based on projected enrollment.

How many parts does Medicare have?

Medicare, the federal health care program that primarily covers those age 65 and older, as well as younger people with disabilities and end-stage renal disease, is made up of four parts, with different costs or premiums for each:

Which expense has gone up under both administrations?

But the larger expense that affects most enrollees is the Part B premium, which has gone up under both administrations. In fact, Part B premiums have gone up faster in Trump’s first three years than they did in Obama’s first three years.

Did Trump lower Medicare premiums?

Trump claimed “premiums for Medicare health plans went up” under the Obama administration, but his administration “lowered Medicare Advantage premiums” by 34%. He is talking about premiums for Medicare Advantage, a private Medicare option, that most Medicare beneficiaries don’t pay.

Does Medicare Advantage pay Part B?

Some Medicare Advantage plans also “may help pay all or part of your Part B premiums,” CMS says. While the premiums have risen, so, too, have the Part B deductibles, and cost-sharing between traditional Medicare and Medicare Advantage, and among MA plans, differs.

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