Objections to Medicaid cost-sharing

Reported here earlier, the National Governors Association (NGA) has issued recommendations for Medicaid reform. One of the proposals is a major restructuring of federal cost-sharing rules which would allow states to substantially increase what Medicaid beneficiaries must pay. In recently published papers, two public policy groups, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and the Georgetown University Health Policy Institute, Center for Children and Families (CCF), raise serious concerns that NGA's cost-sharing proposal would eliminate affordable Medicaid coverage. The NGA recommendation would allow Medicaid cost sharing for the first time by poor pregnant women and children and for emergency care. Small copayments currently charged would rise dramatically. Studies show that even modest increases in payments by the poor would have a negative impact on their use of essential health care services.

Assessing the National Governors Association's proposals to allow increases in cost-sharing charges to Medicaid beneficiaries
(available as PDF, 44KB, from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities)

Cost Sharing in Medicaid: Issues Raised by the NGA's Preliminary Recommendations
Executive Summary
(available as PDF, 40KB)
Full report (available as PDF, 226KB)
Both from CCF