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 does Trump's 2020 budget proposal mean for Medicaid and Medicare?
Over the next 10 years, Trump’s 2020 budget proposal aims to spend $1.5 trillion less on Medicaid — instead allocating $1.2 trillion in a block-grant program to states — $25 billion less on Social Security, and $845 billion less on Medicare (some of that is reclassified to a different department).
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.
Will Trump's budget protect Medicare and Social Security?
His budgets have sought cuts. President Trump vowed Thursday that he “will protect Medicare and Social Security” — a promise akin to one he made as a candidate in 2016. But throughout his first term, he repeatedly tried to cut these programs in his proposed budgets.
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.
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 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.
Does Trump's health insurance policy require people in poverty to pay premiums?
The Trump Administration has also given states unprecedented authority to require people in poverty to pay premiums for their health coverage, in spite of extensive research showing that premiums significantly reduce low-income people’s participation in health coverage. These studies show that the lower a person’s income, the less likely they are to enroll and the more likely they are to drop coverage when they have to pay premiums. People who lose coverage most often end up uninsured and unable to obtain needed health care.
2. Medicare Reforms
In February, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a rule to modernize Medicare Advantage, which offers private health plans that contract through Medicare and the Medicare Part D prescription drug program.
3. Block-Granting Medicaid and Stopping Fraud
Verma said that Trump “wants to deliver on his promise to take care of beneficiaries and for Medicaid to ensure we have a safety net system that is sustainable.”
What is the Trump Administration doing about telehealth?
The Trump Administration today announced expanded Medicare telehealth coverage that will enable beneficiaries to receive a wider range of healthcare services from their doctors without having to travel to a healthcare facility.
When will Medicare start paying for telehealth?
Beginning on March 6, 2020 , Medicare—administered by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)—will temporarily pay clinicians to provide telehealth services for beneficiaries residing across the entire country.
Who can offer telehealth to Medicare?
A range of healthcare providers, such as doctors, nurse practitioners, clinical psychologists, and licensed clinical social workers, will be able to offer telehealth to Medicare beneficiaries. Beneficiaries will be able to receive telehealth services in any healthcare facility including a physician’s office, hospital, ...
Does Medicare have virtual check ins?
Over the last two years, Medicare expanded the ability for clinicians to have brief check-ins with their patients through phone, video chat and online patient portals, referred to as “virtual check-ins”.
When will doctors bill for 2020?
Clinicians can bill immediately for dates of service starting March 6, 2020.
Does Medicaid have to reimburse for telehealth?
No federal approval is needed for state Medicaid programs to reimburse providers for telehealth services in the same manner or at the same rate that states pay for face-to-face services. This guidance follows on President Trump’s call for all insurance companies to expand and clarify their policies around telehealth.
Can a beneficiary receive telehealth services in their home?
In addition, the beneficiary would generally not be allowed to receive telehealth services in their home. The Trump Administration previously expanded telehealth benefits.
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.
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 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 Medicare pay for Part B and D?
Medicare’s high-income premium surcharges will carry even more of a bite for wealthier enrollees. Those making more than $500,000 a year ($750,000 for couples) will pay 85 percent of the actual costs of Part B and D in 2019, up from 80 percent this year. Most Medicare enrollees pay premiums that equal about 25 percent of these costs.
When will Medicare waive late enrollment penalties?
To help them with this transition, Medicare has waived late-enrollment penalties until the end of September.
When will the coverage gap end?
The much-maligned coverage gap (or donut hole) in these plans has been shrinking for years under the Affordable Care Act, and was supposed to end in 2020, at which time consumers in the gap would pay no more than 25 percent of the costs of their drugs. That end date was moved up a year to 2019.
Does Tricare cover Part B?
Part B only pays 80 percent of covered expenses, Tricare should cover you as a secondary insurer here. You should check with Tricare about its coverage. You also could get a Part D drug plan but it’s my understanding that VA coverage is quite good for prescription drugs, making a separate Part D plan unnecessary.
Who is Phil from Medicare?
Phil is the author of the new book, “Get What’s Yours for Medicare,” and co-author of “Get What’s Yours: The Revised Secrets to Maxing Out Your Social Security.”. Send your questions to Phil; and he will answer as many as he can. Seemingly overnight, big changes to Medicare morphed from being an item on various congressional wish lists ...
Has Medicare been killed?
However, the law has already been signed by President Trump, so whether these are good changes or not is moot for the time being. Medicare’s Independent Payment Advisory Board has been killed. It was authorized by the Affordable Care Act to serve as a check on higher Medicare expenses.
Will Medicare be repealed?
It’s a more significant if largely invisible change. Medicare’s caps on covered expenses for outpatient therapy have been officially repealed.
What did Pelosi and Schumer say about Trump's executive order?
In a joint statement, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, warned that Trump's executive order would "endanger seniors' Social Security and Medicare.".
Do Democrats support Medicare expansion?
To the contrary, many Democrats currently support expanding Social Security and Medicare. Addressing the concerns on CNN's State of the Union on Sunday, Trump's economic adviser Larry Kudlow said the president was not trying to defund the programs. "He will protect Social Security and Medicare, as he has pledged to do many, ...
Does Trump have the power to rewrite the payroll tax law?
"President Trump does not have the power to unilaterally rewrite the payroll tax law. Under the Constitution, that power belongs to the American people acting through their members of Congress," Sasse said.
