HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell is calling on Medicaid directors to continue updating their IT systems in an effort to not only seamlessly enroll eligible individuals, but to ensure that they will be re-enrolled as well.
Burwell also pushed for the 23 states that have yet to expand Medicaid to move beyond politics and expand their programs. To sweeten the offer, she promised flexibility in how states can expand and promised that funding for expansion will be available.
HHS' push for stronger IT systems comes just days after the CMS announced it plans to permanently boost funding that helps states build Medicaid eligibility and enrollment systems. For the last three years, the agency raised the matching rate to 90% from 50% for money that states spend on building eligibility and enrollment systems and to 75% from 50% for maintenance and operations of those systems. The bump in funds was set to expire in December 2015.
The CMS estimated at the time that the enhanced funding would cost the federal government $1.1 billion over the four-year period.
“This extension reflects our commitment to system modernization—not just for this year and next year—but for the long term, and in return we will ask states to be accountable, to make wise investments and achieve positive results for consumers,” Burwell said Tuesday at a National Association of Medicaid Directors conference.
“I want to specifically call out renewals—none of us wants to see the impressive gains accomplished through new enrollment eroded because systems are not in place to keep eligible individuals enrolled,” Burwell said.
On expansion, Burwell implored audience members from states that haven't expanded to do so. She said HHS is open to alternative expansion methods.
“States like Arkansas, Michigan and Iowa have also expanded in their own way—and it's making a difference for their states,” Burwell said. “And that's because this isn't about politics, it's about people.”
One of the main concerns conservative-led states have posited for not expanding is the fear they'll be solely holding the bag financially once the federal match begins to decrease.
The federal government covers 100% of the cost through 2016, then 90% in subsequent years.
“This funding isn't going away,” Burwell said.
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