Medicaid Provision in Omnibus Gives States Opportunity To Reclaim Program Integrity
- BY FGA
Allowing Medicaid Eligibility Redeterminations Means States Can Finally Take Control of Runaway Enrollment and Spending in Their Programs
Naples, FL – Yesterday, the Senate Appropriations Committee released an amendment to H.R. 2617, known as the Omnibus Appropriations Package (Omnibus), a sweeping $1.7 trillion government spending bill. The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) has serious concerns over the level of new and continued spending but sees a big step in the right direction towards limiting long-term government dependency with the provision to allow states to restart eligibility checks in their Medicaid programs starting April 1, 2023. This regular redetermination process has been paused for nearly two years.
FGA has been sounding the alarm on Medicaid spending and enrollment spikes caused by COVID-19 spending bills, including the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). These bills blocked states from making changes to eligibility and enrollment processes and forced them to keep millions of individuals on the program even after they became ineligible or if they were found to have committed fraud. FGA has also consistently called for the Biden administration to end the public health emergency which continues to locks states in these Medicaid “handcuffs.”
FGA now projects Medicaid enrollment to hit 100 million in early 2023—a record number that includes 21 million ineligible enrollees. The redetermination provision in the omnibus will give states back the option to conduct eligibility checks on April 1. States should begin these checks as soon as possible to remove ineligible enrollees and prioritize resources for the truly needy.
“While there are many concerning provisions in this omnibus spending bill, we’re optimistic states may soon regain control of their Medicaid programs and reverse two years of unchecked enrollment growth,” said Tarren Bragdon, FGA President and CEO. “FGA has championed Medicaid reform to combat the devasting impact pandemic-era policies have had on the American economy and workforce. If this provision is enacted, states must step up and start redeterminations as soon as possible—our struggling economy and weakened workforce depend on it.”
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The Foundation for Government Accountability (FGA) is a non-profit, multi-state think tank that promotes public policy solutions to create opportunities for every American to experience the American Dream. To learn more, visit TheFGA.org.
