Senators Request Details on Medicaid
Waiver Negotiations
June 25, 2004 - In a June 16 letter
to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator
Mark McClellan, Senate Finance Committee Chairman Charles Grassley
(R-Iowa) and Ranking Minority Member Max Baucus (D-Mont.) reiterated
their concerns regarding the Medicaid waiver process.
Stating that the process "lacks adequate transparency"
and asserting, "there has been no official statement of CMS
policy on … waiver proposals," the Senators expressed
their unease upon hearing "reports describing active but private
negotiations between CMS and several states on waiver programs that
would cap enrollment and/or federal payments." According to
the letter, Sens. Grassley and Baucus have obtained documents indicating
CMS consideration of waivers that implement waiting lists, eliminate
core benefits, and phase in "defined contribution" designs.
Fearing that such waivers could "potentially make fundamental
changes to the Medicaid program in ways Congress did not anticipate
or intend," the Senators ask Dr. McClellan to "provide
the Committee with a detailed briefing about the status of negotiations
or discussions with states" seeking Medicaid waivers. Sens.
Grassley and Baucus also request "an update on CMS policy with
respect to considering or approving such waivers" no later
than July 10.
Information:
Christiane Mitchell, Senior Legislative Analyst
AAMC Government Relations
cmitchell@aamc.org
(202) 828-0526
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