Healthcare Financial News

Healthcare reform discussions have yielded more agreement than may at first meet the eye, according to a new report published by The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. An Emerging Middle Ground: An Analysis of Health Reform Positions identifies and explores eight areas in which diverse business, medical, and consumer interests are beginning to find middle ground and earn the support of bipartisan lawmakers. The report provides a side-by-side explanation of the different perspectives for each issue and then identifies the areas where consensus may be forming.

The Department of Health and Human Services announced the availability of up to $40 million in grants to help reach families whose children qualify but are not yet enrolled in state Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Programs. The funds are available to states and community-based organizations. This is the first cycle of outreach funding under the Children’s Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act, which provides a total of $100 million for outreach campaigns aimed at reducing the number of low-income, uninsured children.  Grants to states and organizations will ultimately total $80 million with the remaining funds going to other outreach efforts specified by the law. Applications for the first cycle of funding are due by Aug. 6 if submitted electronically; those submitted by mail are due by Aug. 10. Grants will be awarded by Sept. 30.

Read the HHS press release.