government
GOP seeks clarification on ACA Medicaid, exchange provisions
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Sept. 10, 2012
Republican leaders of the House Energy and Commerce Committee are calling on the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to address outstanding questions that lawmakers, governors and state Medicaid directors have on the implementation of the health system reform law’s insurance exchange and Medicaid expansion provisions.
Fundamental requirements on the exchanges, “such as essential health benefits and actuarial value, have not even been outlined in a proposed rule,” Rep. Fred Upton (R, Mich.), the panel’s chair, and Joe Pitts (R, Pa.), the health subcommittee chair, wrote in an Aug. 20 letter to Marilyn Tavenner, the CMS acting administrator.
The lawmakers noted that the National Assn. of Medicaid Directors and the Republican Governors Assn. had sent similar requests to HHS about the implementation of the Medicaid expansion and the exchanges, asking “nearly 60 specific questions necessary for a state to make an informed decision about whether or not to move forward with implementation of either program component,” the letter from the lawmakers stated. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had responded that more HHS guidance would be released on these provisions in the coming months, but a more specific response is warranted, Upton and Pitts wrote.
They asked that HHS respond to all of questions that the trade associations included in their letters, as well as provide the Energy and Commerce Committee with a timeline for finalizing any outstanding regulations on the exchanges or the Medicaid expansion. The department indicated that it received the lawmakers’ letter and plans to respond to it.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2012/09/10/gvbf0910.htm.
