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Four Weeks Late… and Still Far From A Budget

While most of our state elected officials are on summer recess (this the last week of break before members return to Sacramento), there has been much rhetoric from the Governor and Democratic leaders on the budget… but they still seem miles apart. Governor Schwarzenegger even hinted that he may have… more

Maternity Care Legislation

 A new maternity care bill, AB 1825 (De La Torre), is poised to reach the Senate floor. In California, there is no existing law requiring health insurers to designate which basic health care services are covered, so health insurers are not forced to provide coverage for maternity services. As a… more

Other Grant Opportunities Under Health Reform

In addition to the newly announced Consumer Assistance Grants, the Affordable Care Act (aka health reform) has created a number of other exciting funding opportunities. Below are links to the grant centers for the federal agencies administering many of the grants under reform. At each site — and at Grants.gov… more

Consumer Assistance Grants Just Announced!

The federal government is now accepting applications for health reform’s Consumer Assistance Grants. The grants will provide nearly $30 million to help states educate consumers about their health coverage options and ensure access to accurate information about health reform. All States and territories may apply for these grants to expand… more

Impact of Stimulus Growing…

According to the Council of Economic Advisors’ (CEA) quarterly report on the continuing effects of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), the magnitude of the fiscal stimulus and its positive effect on the U.S. economy have been increasing substantially in the first half of 2010 (from $108 billion in… more

Waiver Update from the State of CA

Yesterday, the state convened the fifth in a series of §1115 Hospital Waiver Stakeholder Adviser Committee Meetings, conducted in accordance with the Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act. The meeting included updates on: (1) negotiations with CMS; (2) state legislation; (3) budget neutrality; (4) federal financing; and (5) early implementation activities. Speakers… more

Two NEW Waiver Documents

As you know, California’s existing §1115 Medicaid waiver expires on August 31st, and the state is currently in the process of applying for its renewal. In June, DHCS submitted an initial waiver proposal to CMS, and the two entities are currently engaged in negotiations regarding the eventual scope of the… more

Young Adults: Impact Under Federal Health Reform

Secretary Sebelius Talks Prevention

On Tuesday, ITUP staff joined a discussion with HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius as she offered insight about the nation’s new investment in preventive care, “marking a fundamental shift from treatment to prevention.” On September 23rd, new health plans will be required to cover preventive services at no additional cost to… more

Speak Up on the Exchange!

As you know, the federal reform law requires states to have fully functioning exchanges by January 1, 2014. It specifies that the exchanges offer coverage for individuals and small businesses, and that the exchanges be operated by a government agency or non-profit entity. Health plans must adhere to the exchange… more