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S11 E08: Medicaid & Arizona’s Abortion Law: 4/14/24: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

LastWeekTonight・35 minutes read

John Oliver covered events like the White House visit, South Korea's elections, and Arizona's abortion ban, with Republicans and even Trump criticizing the extreme law. Medicaid issues, including coverage loss due to paperwork errors, underscore the need for better oversight and streamlined processes to ensure essential care for all.

Insights

  • Arizona's Supreme Court enforced a near-total abortion ban from the 1860s, making abortion a felony, despite the majority of Arizona voters supporting legal abortion.
  • Transitioning to Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in Medicaid programs has led to significant issues, including illegal denial of services and neglect of patients like Louis Fender, emphasizing the critical need for enhanced oversight and reform in Medicaid systems.

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Recent questions

  • What events did Last Week Tonight cover?

    Various events, including White House, OJ Simpson, South Korea.

  • What controversial law did Arizona's Supreme Court enforce?

    Near-total abortion ban from the 1860s.

  • Who condemned Arizona's abortion ban?

    Former President Donald Trump.

  • What challenges hinder Medicaid access?

    Administrative errors, enrollment barriers, renewal complexities.

  • How can Medicaid programs be improved?

    Simplifying eligibility processes, enhancing MCO oversight.

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Summary

00:00

Arizona Abortion Ban Sparks Controversy and Backlash

  • Last Week Tonight with John Oliver covered various events, including the White House hosting the Prime Minister of Japan, OJ Simpson's death, and South Korea's parliamentary elections.
  • South Korean election coverage featured elaborate graphics and dramatic recreations of Mission Impossible scenes with candidates.
  • Arizona's Supreme Court enforced a near-total abortion ban from the 1860s, making abortion a felony.
  • The archaic Arizona law also included provisions legalizing consensual sex with a 10-year-old and excusable homicide.
  • Despite polls showing 62% of Arizona voters supporting legal abortion, the state legislature affirmed the 1864 ban.
  • State Republicans, including Senate candidate Carrie Lake, are now distancing themselves from the abortion ban they previously supported.
  • Arizona Supreme Court Justice Clint Bolick faced accusations of racism after a video surfaced of him wearing dreadlocks.
  • Lawmakers like TJ Shope justified their votes on the abortion ban, claiming they didn't expect Roe v. Wade to be overturned.
  • Former President Donald Trump condemned Arizona's abortion ban, blaming the state for going too far.
  • The Medicaid unwinding process has led to millions losing coverage, with procedural reasons like missing paperwork being a major cause for terminations.

15:17

Medicaid: Funding, Challenges, and Fraud

  • States receive $1 in matching funds for every dollar spent on Medicaid, with significant leeway in program management.
  • Medicaid can cover home health workers for people with disabilities, aiding in daily living activities.
  • Medicaid's impact is profound, enabling individuals to shower, eat, dress, and breathe with essential support.
  • Challenges in Medicaid access include administrative errors, like a one-year-old being denied coverage due to a birthdate mix-up.
  • Enrollment barriers and renewal complexities hinder Medicaid access, leaving many eligible individuals uninsured.
  • Tennessee once sent a 47-page renewal questionnaire, leading to coverage loss mishaps, like mail sent to a horse pasture.
  • Government programs, including Medicaid, face glitches due to underfunding, understaffing, and outdated technology.
  • Some states set high eligibility bars, with work requirements introduced in some areas, causing access issues.
  • Medicaid fraud exists, often perpetrated by providers, like a couple billing $17 million for services to deceased patients.
  • Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) in Medicaid, like Centene, have faced allegations of overbilling and prioritizing cost-cutting over care.

29:37

Medicaid MCOs Deny Care, Spark Outcry

  • Transition to using MCOs in Iowa's Medicaid Program in 2016 led to a nearly 900% increase in members being illegally denied services in the first 3 years.
  • Louis Fender, a patient with cerebral palsy, lost essential care services like medication and daily nurse visits due to MCO involvement, causing distress and neglect.
  • A doctor from Amer Health, the MCO in Iowa, expressed a disturbing corporate view in a hearing, suggesting it was acceptable for patients to remain unclean for days.
  • Amer Health eventually reinstated Louis' services after public outcry, highlighting the struggle within Medicaid to provide and maintain care efficiently.
  • Suggestions for improving Medicaid programs include simplifying eligibility processes by utilizing existing data, as demonstrated by Michigan's successful retooling of application procedures.
  • Oversight of MCOs must be enhanced, with thorough public performance reviews, especially concerning care denials, until a universal healthcare model is adopted or Medicaid processes are significantly improved.
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