Below is this week’s update on the Affordable Care Act. As always, thank you for all you do every day for cancer patients and their families, (202) 661-5720.
Medicaid Protections – Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) Funding
On Tuesday, the House returned to Washington, DC during their August recess to vote on the six-month extension of FMAP funding. The federal funding will protect state health programs and benefits for low-income cancer patients and families across the country. The House passed H.R. 1586 247-to-161, and the president signed the legislation into law shortly after.
Over the past two weeks ACS CAN has been involved in an extensive grassroots effort to urge Congress to approve the extension of funds. State government relations staff in five states (CT, OH, MA, ME, NE) reached out to state legislators, and influential advocates in their states to engage them in calling their Senators, and urging their support.
ACS CAN also targeted 16 key Senators, and engaged grassroots advocates in an outbound patch through call campaign. ACS CAN advocates made over 9,000 calls to key target Senate offices asking Senators to support the FMAP funding extension. Attached is the ACS CAN press release that was sent out after the House vote. Thank you for your hard work. Your efforts made this victory possible.
State Meetings with Insurance Commissioners: Medical Loss Ratio (MLR)
This week Society Division representatives met with members of the State Insurance Commissioner's Office in Alabama and Tennessee bringing the total number of visits to 18 since outreach efforts began earlier this summer. Additionally, 34 states have sent a letter, fax or email to their respective commissioner's office concerning the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR) issue and/or asking for the opportunity to meet and begin a dialogue regarding how we might assist with the state implementation process.
National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) National Meeting
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is holding their national meeting this week in Seattle. Steve Finan, ACS CAN senior director of Policy, will testify along with other consumer representatives at a hearing on the establishment of state based health exchanges. The NAIC is likely to develop model legislation for states, so the goal of the consumer representatives is to identify the key issues and concerns from the consumer perspective. The testimony will be available on the NAIC web site within the next few days.
Also, the NAIC Executive Committee will be voting this week on their recommendations to the Department of Health and Human Service concerning the Medical Loss Ratio (MLR).
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Christopher W. Hansen
President
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN)