News Briefs

June 4

✦ America’s Health Insurance Plans and other leading health care organizations are urging Congress to further increase funding for Medicaid. In a June 2 letter to House and Senate leaders, the groups praised Congress for enacting a temporary 6.2% increase to states’ Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) as part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act but pleaded with them to take additional action as millions of Americans apply for unemployment and states consider budget cuts. The House in late May passed the Heroes Act, a $3 trillion legislative package that includes an additional temporary increase in the FMAP and enhanced funding for home- and community-based services (RMA 5/21/20, p. 1). Senate Republicans have already criticized the legislation and are reportedly under pressure to deliver their own COVID-19 response package now that the Senate is back in session after a 10-day recess. Visit https://bit.ly/3gMRAJ0.

✦ The Indiana Dept. of Administration on May 26 unveiled managed care awards to serve some 90,000 Aged, Blind and Disabled enrollees in the state’s Hoosier Care Connect program starting April 1, 2021. The state selected three managed care organizations to begin contract negotiations; these included incumbents Anthem, Inc. and Managed Health Services and new entrant UnitedHealthcare Community Plan. The new four-year pacts represent annual revenue of approximately $533 million for each winner. Visit https://bit.ly/3chHpbW to view the Indiana contract awards.

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Radar on Medicare Advantage

Lauren Flynn Kelly Managing Editor, Radar on Medicare Advantage

Lauren has been covering health business issues since the early 2000s and specializes in in-depth reporting on Medicare Advantage, managed Medicaid and Medicare Part D. She also possesses a deep understanding of the complex world of pharmacy benefit management, having written AIS Health’s Radar on Drug Benefits from 2004 to 2005 and again from 2011 to 2016. In addition to her role as managing editor of Radar on Medicare Advantage, she oversees AIS Health’s publications and manages the health editorial staff. She graduated from Vassar College with a B.A. in English.