WASHINGTON, DC - Building upon the Energy and Commerce Committee’s #RecordOfSuccess, the U.S. House of Representatives this week will consider commonsense, bipartisan legislation making reforms to strengthen Medicaid. H.R. 3716, the Ensuring Access to Quality Medicaid Providers Act, is composed of two Energy and Commerce Committee bills: H.R. 3716, the Ensuring Terminated Providers are Removed from Medicaid and CHIP Act, authored by Rep. Larry Bucshon (R-IN); and H.R. 3821, the Medicaid DOC Act, authored by Rep. Chris Collins (R-NY).
An Important “One-Two Punch" to Strengthen Medicaid.
H.R. 3716 offers two important solutions:
* Gets Rid of Bad Actors: The bill ensures that providers terminated from Medicare or a state Medicaid program for reasons of fraud, integrity, or quality, are terminated from all other state Medicaid programs.
* Increases Access: This legislation will help expand access beyond the emergency room. It provides beneficiaries under fee-for-service or primary care case management programs with a directory of physicians participating in the program.
Together, these provisions will bring savings to the federal government, as well as state Medicaid programs.
THE FACTS
* Medicaid is estimated to cover 83 million people this year - far more than the 58 million covered by Medicare.
* CMS’ Office of the Actuary projects that by 2023, there will be nearly as many non-disabled adults relying on Medicaid as young children.
QUOTABLE
“This week, Republicans and Democrats will help deliver an important ‘one-two punch’ to strengthen Medicaid for the most vulnerable - cutting back on fraud and increasing access. It’s an important step forward as we work to strengthen Medicaid and promote meaningful 21st century reforms," said full committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI).
