Emmer seeks to reduce confusion for Medicaid, Basic Health Program enrollees

U.S. Rep. Tom Emmer (R-MN) and a bipartisan, bicameral contingent of Minnesota lawmakers urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to provide deadline flexibility for state Medicaid programs and Basic Health Programs once the pandemic is deemed officially over.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which became law on March 18, provided a temporary increase to states’ federal medical assistance percentage (FMAP) for the duration of the Public Health Emergency regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, which now is set to expire on Oct. 22, according to a Sept. 3 letter Rep. Emmer and his colleagues sent to HHS Secretary Alex Azar.

“Like other states across the country, Minnesota submitted a series of waivers to bring its programs into compliance with these requirements and receive this enhanced FMAP,” they wrote. “With Medicaid enrollment increasing by at least 1.7 million people nationally during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, this enhanced FMAP has proven critical in helping state Medicaid plans support our most vulnerable citizens during the ongoing public health crisis.”

Rep. Emmer and his colleagues noted that when the Public Health Emergency declaration ends, states receiving the FMAP must notify Medicaid and Basic Health Program enrollees whose coverage would have otherwise been terminated or who would have needed to reapply for these programs. “States face different deadlines by which they must notify enrollees about upcoming changes in their coverage — with some deadlines coming as early as 75 days prior to expiration,” the lawmakers wrote.

In order to avoid causing unnecessary confusion or encouraging enrollees to prematurely terminate their coverage under these programs, Rep. Emmer and his colleagues requested that Azar provide a flexibility period of at least 90 days after the termination of the Public Health Emergency for the programs “to establish organized structures for notifying enrollees who need to recertify their eligibility or who will no longer be eligible for coverage through these programs, and to allow those enrollees to take the steps necessary to document their continued eligibility,” according to their letter.

Among the lawmakers who joined Rep. Emmer in signing the letter were U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and U.S. Rep. Pete Stauber (R-MN).