Trending News Today: Advocacy Group Asks for More Time Before Medicaid Work Requirement Enacted

The National Help Law Program (NHeLP) is asking the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to allow more time for public comments before implementing a work requirement for Medicaid, according to The Hill. The CMS revealed a proposal yesterday that would allow states to require enrollees to be employed or participate in community engagement activities, demonstrating a major shift towards a more conservative Medicaid program. Thus far, comment periods have closed for multiple states that wish to implement the requirements. The NHeLP said that they did not have the opportunity to raise issues in those states and are requesting additional time, according to the article.

The overprescribing of opioids has played a significant part in the opioid epidemic that has resulted in thousands of deaths over the past few years, Kaiser Health News reported. Opioid addiction frequently starts at the hospital when patients undergo procedures. Many hospitals have revised how to approach pain management to prioritize reducing opioid use rather than ensuring patients wake up from the procedure pain-free, according to the article.

Next week, the House Energy and Commerce Committee plans to bring a 6-year reauthorization bill for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) to the floor, The Hill reported. GOP committee leaders said that the most recent Congressional Budget Office estimates played a role in bringing the legislation to a vote. CHIP funding ran out in September 2017, but there was no reauthorization bill approved due to partisan disagreement on how to fund the program, according to the article.