Story Archives of 'Medicaid'

Although entitlement issues don’t rank as high these days in voters’ minds as health care, energy costs and the struggling economy, many still want to know where their candidate stands on adding private accounts to Social Security, rising Medicare premiums and the increasing amount of seniors on Medicaid. Today Issues and Elections continues with a look at the candidates for President, Senate and Congress and their platforms on entitlement issues.

and TBA.

Guests

• Robert L. Bixby, Executive Director of The Concord Coalition, a nonpartisan, grassroots organization dedicated to fiscal responsibility
• TBA

Health and Human Services Commissioner John Stephen has notified the governor that he plans to step down in mid-August.
That’s two months before his term officially ends.
Stephen’s supporters credit him for his work ethic, his dedication to reducing bureaucracy, and keeping within a tight budget.
But his critics are looking forward to the day when someone else is heading the state’s largest department.
NHPR’s Dianne Finch has more.

Within a few weeks, U.S. lawmakers are expected to vote on a bill reauthorizing SCHIP - the State Children's Health Insurance Program.

SCHIP funds health coverage for uninsured children and is scheduled to expire in September after a 10-year run.

Over 7,000 children in New Hampshire rely on SCHIP for health coverage.

But the Bush Administration has proposed a budget increase for SCHIP that is 90 percent lower than what Congress is considering.

So the upcoming debate has state health officials sitting on pins and needles wondering if lawmakers will come through.

NHPR's Dianne Finch reports.

Federal initiatives meant to save Medicaid dollars are adding fuel to a nationwide trend.

Since nursing home care represents the largest share of Medicaid spending, states are trying cut costs by moving patients back into the community..

In New Hampshire, the health department hopes to move about 600 Medicaid-eligible seniors out of nursing homes within two years.

Toward that end - two pilot projects are underway in Manchester and Nashua.

The Adult Family Care pilots pay individuals -- using Medicaid dollars -- to take seniors into their homes and provide non-medical personal care.

Advocates say the program provides a “family-like” setting for seniors.

But some critics assert that New Hampshire doesn’t have the resources to handle the transition adequately.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 90 thousand people die each year from infections they catch at hospitals.

And 5% of everyone who goes into a hospital catches some kind infection there.

One of the most common and virulent germs infecting patients is a type of Staph called
MRSA.

And it's on the rise in hospitals across the country - and it can be lethal.

In New Hampshire, no one is keeping track of all MRSA infections.

But public health experts in the state are working on a state-wide plan to reduce its incidence.