Fla., Okla., N.Y. Associations Seek Support on Legislation
The legislative efforts seek to protect state reimbursement rates and patient access for HME by blocking moves to privatize state Medicaid programs.
The state associations for Oklahoma, Florida, and New York are calling on HME stakeholders to help advance legislative efforts concerning Medicaid funding in their states.
Assisting those state associations’ efforts, the American Association for Homecare’s Payer Relations team has set up various online outreach tools to make the advocacy work easy for providers.
Florida
The most immediate need for help is in The Sunshine State. The Florida Alliance of Home Care Services (FAHCS) is calling on Florida providers to help it advance state legislation to create a rate floor and to permanently stop third-party administrators (TPAs) from self-referring in Medicaid.
Specifically, since face-to-face meetings, FAHCS is asking providers to call and email state lawmakers before the week’s end.
To help FAHCS, AAHomecare has posted sample messaging and contacts for state Senate and House leadership.
“We need action this week,” a statement from FAHCS read. “We are closer than ever to having a huge win in Florida, but it’s up to you!”
New York
Heading north, Northeast Medical Equipment Providers (NEMEP) is tackling a similar issue. S.5118, legislation that helps set a Medicaid rate floor in New York, heads to that state’s Senate floor.
Specifically, S.5118requires MCOs to reimburse at no less than 100 percent of the New York State Medicaid fee-for-service fee schedule.
New York providers can use AAHomecare’s Action Center message service to send an email in support of S.5118 and its companion bill in the Assembly, A.5368.
“This is great news since the bill now goes straight to the Senate Floor – it skipped the Finance Committee,” a NEMEP statement read. “Our next move is to get it added to the calendar for a vote.”
Oklahoma
The Oklahoma Medical Equipment Providers Association (OMEPA) has joined a coalition of Oklahoma healthcare providers who are asking state legislators to prevent the adoption of an MCO model for Oklahoma Health Care Authority (OHCA), the state’s Medicaid program.
Without legislative input, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt contracted with insurance companies to manage patient care through Medicaid in Oklahoma.
State legislators could end this attempt to privatize Medicaid by passing Senate Bill 131, which would require OHCA to develop a program that controls costs for the state while improving health outcomes for Medicaid recipients. They could also stop it by voting not to fund privatized Medicaid under the appropriations process.
Oklahoma HME stakeholders can use AAHomecare’s Action Center to urge legislators to put the brakes on another attempt to adopt a failed MCO approach in Oklahoma.