Payer Roundup—Nursing homes sue to stop state Medicaid cuts; LePage appeals expansion ruling

Nursing homes sue to stop state Medicaid cuts

Several nursing homes in Montana sued the state Monday over a Medicaid reimbursement cut.

The northwestern state cut payments in January as part of an effort to curb spending, which the state health department said was due to Republican opposition to increasing taxes, as reported by the Associated Press.   

The six nursing homes and the Montana Health Care Association said the cut violates state law and has so far cost them about $3 million. (Associated Press)

Ohio stops Medicaid cuts to hospitals

At the same time 1,500 miles away, Ohio canceled a planned $1.1 billion cut to hospitals. 

The cancellation was due to an increase in economic activity and lower than expected participation in the Medicaid program, as reported by Cleveland.com. 

The cut would have reduced Medicaid payments to hospitals by about 5%. Additionally, no other cuts are expected over the next year. (Cleveland.com)

LePage drags out Medicaid expansion fight

Maine Gov. Paul LePage isn't giving up his fight on Medicaid expansion just yet.

The state's Department of Health and Human Services last week appealed a state court ruling that ordered the governor's administration to move forward with expanding Medicaid, which LePage has fiercely opposed, according to Maine Public

Sources previously told FierceHealthcare that the appeal is likely a long shot bid, but it allows the administration to drag its feet on implementation. (Maine Public