BUSH ADMINISTRATION TO FURTHER DELAY MUCH NEEDED CONSUMER PROTECTIONS
New Report Takes a Closer Look at Medicaid Managed Care
August 15, 2001 Washington D.C.-As Congress moves closer to passing a patients' bill of rights, the Bush Administration is preparing to delay regulations that would provide much needed protections to millions of Americans in managed care. Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson is expected to announce another delay of the effective date for the Medicaid Managed Care Consumer Protection Regulations of at least 60 days. These regulations include many of the same protections President Bush already approved in the House version of the Patient Protection Act, including access to emergency room care and specialists, and a timely procedure for contesting denials of care. "The President says he supports consumer protections for people with private insurance, while continuing to deny these same protections to people with disabilities and low-income families on Medicaid," said Joan Alker, Families USA associate director of government affairs. According to the report, almost 19 million Medicaid beneficiaries are currently enrolled in managed care. Many of the people on Medicaid are the most medically vulnerable people living in the United States, including 7 million blind and disabled individuals. Some states have moved beneficiaries into managed care programs that are not equipped to meet their health care needs. The consumer protection regulations address this problem by requiring states to have a mechanism for ensuring continued access to services when an enrollee with an on-going health care need is transitioned to managed care. The regulations were supposed to be a quid pro quo for the additional flexibility granted to states in how they could administer their Medicaid programs. Among other restrictions lifted in 1997, states were given the ability-without first having to obtain federal approval-to require Medicaid beneficiaries to enroll in managed care plans. In exchange, the beneficiaries were supposed to be given substantial new consumer protections. "States have acted aggressively to move Medicaid beneficiaries into managed care, yet, the consumer protections promised continue to be delayed by the Bush Administration," stated Alker. | | Sign-On Letter with Signatures Congressional Letter to Pres. Bush See the National Health Law Program's sample letter requesting comments on CMS' delays of Medicaid managed care regulations. Tell HHS What You Think of the New Rules Comparison of House and Senate Passed Patient Protections with Delayed Medicaid Managed Care Protections A Comparison of both Internal Appeals Processes |
