Recognizing it is the congressional intent of the Affordable Care Act that enhanced Federal medical assistance percentage funds are to be directly shared with the counties in States with a Medicaid local share requirement.
Impact
The bill's recognition highlights a significant issue in New York State, where the recent state budget reportedly withholds $1 billion in eFMAP funds from counties. Such withholding can severely impact counties' ability to fund necessary services for vulnerable populations, potentially forcing them to increase property taxes to compensate for lost revenue. By addressing this obstruction, HR170 emphasizes the need for states to use these funds to enhance local healthcare services instead of bridging budget deficits.
Summary
House Resolution 170 (HR170) focuses on the congressional intent behind the Affordable Care Act (ACA), specifically regarding the sharing of enhanced Federal medical assistance percentage (eFMAP) funds with counties that operate under a Medicaid local share requirement. It recognizes that these funds are crucial for county governments to provide essential health services, including mental health programs, home care, and long-term care for vulnerable populations. The bill seeks to ensure that counties can receive these funds directly rather than having them absorbed into state budgets.
Contention
Critics of the state budget's approach argue that withholding federal funds undermines the local service delivery that the ACA intended to support. With the escalating costs of Medicaid and the urgent need for services, the resolution calls for states to honor the intention of the ACA by ensuring counties receive their fair share of federal funding. The contention lies primarily in the perceived overreach by state governments in managing these funds, potentially jeopardizing local health service provisions.
Requires enhanced federal medical assistance percentage funds be directly shared with the counties and the city of New York; requires the comptroller examine and audit all funds received from the enhanced federal medical assistance percentage and the distributions made to counties and the city of New York.
Cover Outstanding Vulnerable Expansion-eligible Residents Now Act or the COVER Now Act This bill establishes a demonstration program to allow local governments to provide health benefits to the Medicaid expansion population in states that have not expanded Medicaid. Under the program, local governments may provide coverage for individuals who are newly eligible for Medicaid under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (i.e., the Medicaid expansion population) for a maximum of 10 years, or until their respective states expand Medicaid. The bill provides a 100% federal matching rate for the first three years of program participation. The bill prohibits states from taking certain actions against participating localities, such as withholding funding, increasing taxes, or restricting provider participation. States that violate these requirements are subject to certain funding penalties.
Directs counties, in coordination with their regional emergency medical services councils, to develop and maintain comprehensive county emergency medical system plans that provide for coordinated emergency medical systems within such counties.
Directs counties, in coordination with their regional emergency medical services councils, to develop and maintain comprehensive county emergency medical system plans that provide for coordinated emergency medical systems within such counties.