Today

Nursing home beds are shrinking as families fight Medicaid rules to get care

Good morning. Today's biggest worry is space and access. The New York Times reports that nursing home beds are disappearing, which could make it harder for older people to find a place to live when they need care (16). At the same time, families are running into confusing Medicaid rules. One man was turned down for nursing home coverage because his monthly income was just $68 over the limit, unless he moves the money through a trust first (2). Another family got a 30-day discharge notice while their father's Medicaid application was still pending — something federal law does not allow (12).

There is also movement in Medicare coverage. Walmart, like Costco, will begin selling Medicare Advantage plans (9). Meanwhile, two insurers are pulling back: one is cutting its Medicare Advantage footprint after a deal (22), and Molina plans to leave Medicare in three states (23).

Several fraud cases are also in the news, with executives accused of billing Medicare millions for unnecessary tests (7, 8, 25).