Health Care Organizations to Senate: Include Medicaid & CHIP Policies in Reconciliation
Seven national health care and advocacy organizations today called on
"When people with Medicaid and CHIP experience gaps in their coverage, they are less likely to get the health care they need when they need it, which negatively impacts their health," said
The policies would allow children to keep their Medicaid and CHIP coverage for a year, regardless of temporary changes in family income and other circumstances; require a year of postpartum coverage for people on Medicaid and CHIP who give birth; make CHIP funding permanent; minimize gaps in coverage and behavioral and physical care for people leaving jails and prisons; and increase vaccination access for adults on Medicaid.
"Congressional action to boost access to Medicaid and CHIP coverage is urgently needed to protect the health of women and children," said
Coalition members calling for inclusion of Medicaid and CHIP policies in
The coalition previously hosted a hill briefing and sent a sign-on letter to
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To: The Honorable
The Honorable
The Honorable
The Honorable
Dear Majority Leader Schumer, Majority
We, the undersigned organizations, urge the inclusion of the following five Medicaid and CHIP policies as the
1. Medicaid and CHIP Continuous Eligibility for Children. We ask that you consider the detrimental impact on children's health when they cycle on and off of Medicaid and CHIP, a phenomenon known as "churn." These changes in health coverage lead to gaps in critical physical and behavioral health care. Providing continuous eligibility for children would help mitigate this by allowing young people to remain enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP for 12 months, regardless of changes in family income or other circumstances. Currently, fewer than 30 states have adopted the state option by offering 12-month continuous eligibility to all children enrolled in CHIP and/or Medicaid. If every state were to implement this bipartisan policy, it would make a dramatic difference in the lives of millions of children and families.
2. Medicaid and CHIP Postpartum Coverage. Nearly half of all births in the US are covered by Medicaid. Unfortunately, compared to those with private insurance, Medicaid enrollees had an 82 percent higher risk of maternal death and morbidity. The Medicaid program's expansion under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has been linked to notable gains in maternal health outcomes, notably for non-Hispanic Black women and within the first 60 days following childbirth when Medicaid coverage currently expires for many postpartum people. Still, far too many people experience coverage and care gaps either during their pregnancies or in the weeks and months that follow giving rise to health risks and exacerbating racial and ethnic disparities in maternal health. Currently, only 27 states offer this coverage. Considering the crisis our nation is presently facing relative to maternal health issues, we urge the
4. Medicaid Reentry Act. The "Medicaid Inmate Exclusion Policy" prohibits the use of Medicaid funds for services to otherwise eligible people who are incarcerated in jails, prisons, detention centers, or other correctional facilities. This leads to serious gaps in health coverage and access to needed care when individuals are reentering their communities from incarceration. These gaps contribute to higher recidivism and are particularly harmful - and often deadly -- for the large percentage of formerly incarcerated individuals with mental illness or substance use disorders. Allowing eligible incarcerated individuals to receive services covered by Medicaid 30-days prior to their release from jail or prison will expand access to vital health services, decrease recidivism and improve health outcomes for individuals reentering the community. Furthermore, by investing in prevention, the bipartisan Medicaid Reentry Act/2 will provide savings on healthcare and criminal justice costs for jurisdictions across the country.
5. Adult Vaccination Access. Adults need immunizations to protect them from getting and spreading serious infectious diseases that result in disability, missed work, medical bills, inability to care for family members, hospitalization, or death. For low-income individuals, Medicaid is the primary source of coverage for vaccines. Medicaid coverage and reimbursement policies vary greatly by state, creating barriers to access that impede efforts to improve vaccination rates among at-risk populations who are low-income. In states that have expanded Medicaid, programs are required to cover recommended vaccines at no cost, which is consistent with commercial health insurance coverage standards, in non-expansion states, people with traditional Medicaid coverage have to pay for the same recommended vaccines. Only 22 Medicaid programs cover all 13
Our coalition urges the
We thank you for your attention and leadership on these important measures. We look forward to working with you and the
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Sincerely,
National Organizations
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