The White House fiscal 2017 budget continues the administration’s push for Medicaid expansion with an expected proposal to offer three years of full federal funding for newly eligible beneficiaries to states who have not yet expanded, addresses the substance abuse crisis, extends funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program through fiscal 2019, and includes an unexpected proposal to let states and the federal government jointly negotiate to lower the price of Medicaid drugs.
The National Health Law Program supports the proposal to expand the federal match for new expansion states.
“NHeLP looks forward to supporting President Obama’s effort to achieve Medicaid expansion in all states and we call on Congress to quickly act on the President’s proposal,” said Mara Youdelman, managing attorney at NHeLP. Medicaid Health Plans of America President Jeff Myers also likes the support states are getting for expansion. However, Inside Health Policy previously reported that Republicans in Congress are not likely to pass the provision, and, even if it were passed into law, states that have yet to expand Medicaid would be unlikely to take up the administration’s offer. Read the full article here. »
