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What We’re Reading: NY Dental Coverage Expands; Abortion Denial Broke Law; Masking Comes Undone
A settled class-action lawsuit paves the way for 5 million New Yorkers on Medicaid to have expanded dental coverage; 2 hospitals broke federal law by denying a woman whose life was in danger an abortion; mask mandates in most health care settings are being lifted around the United States.
5 Million Low-Income New Yorkers to Get Dental Coverage
A class-action lawsuit settled on Monday will cover common but expensive dental procedures for the 5 million adults in New York State covered by Medicaid and will include implants, root canals, and replacement dentures, reported The New York Times. The suit was filed in federal court in 2018 against the State Health Department and charged the state with denying thousands of low-income New Yorkers necessary medical treatment. The suit argued that dental health is necessary for employment, overall physical health, and psychological well-being.
Two Hospitals Broke Federal Law Denying Abortion
Two hospitals—one on Missouri and one in Kansas—refused to provide an emergency abortion to a pregnant woman in premature labor at 17 weeks that put her life at risk and violated federal law, a first-of-its-kind investigation by the federal government has discovered, reported The Associated Press. The findings are a warning to hospitals countrywide as they attempt to reconcile dozens of new state laws that ban or severely restrict abortion with a federal requirement for doctors to provide abortions when a woman’s health is at risk. The federal law that requires doctors to treat patients in emergency situations surpasses any state laws, said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra.
Masks Not Required in Health Care Settings
Health regulators and some infectious-disease specialists have determined that universal masking is no longer necessary in medical settings, according to The Washington Post. Oregon, Washington, and California were among the last states to lift mask requirements in medical settings in April, with Massachusetts close behind when the public emergency ends May 11. Some medical experts and patient safety advocates desire to have masks required in health care settings, while others say that it is not medically necessary unless there are outbreaks or elevated respiratory virus transmission.
CMS' 340B Repayment Proposal May Harm Vulnerable Hospitals, Reward Those With Higher Revenues
April 26th 2024The 340B hospitals not receiving an offsetting lump-sum payment from CMS following 2018-2022 cuts later ruled unlawful are disproportionately rural, publicly owned, and nonacademic, according to a new study.
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Examining Low-Value Cancer Care Trends Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
April 25th 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with the authors of a study published in the April 2024 issue of The American Journal of Managed Care® about their findings on the rates of low-value cancer care services throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Navigating Health Policy in an Election Year: Insights From Dr Dennis Scanlon
April 2nd 2024On this episode of Managed Care Cast, we're talking with Dennis Scanlon, PhD, the editor in chief of The American Journal of Accountable Care®, about prior authorization, price transparency, the impact of health policy on the upcoming election, and more.
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Mental Health Diagnoses, Care Challenges Rise Among US Youth, Report Finds
April 26th 2024While behavioral health care utilization has been rising, the treatment landscape has been worsening. New findings show that 20% of youths did not receive any form of treatment within 3 months of their initial behavioral health diagnosis.
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