The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission met for two days last week in Washington, D.C.

The following is MACPAC’s own summary of the sessions.

MACPAC looked ahead to its June 2019 report to Congress on the initial day of the March 2019 Commission meeting. In the morning, sessions focused on potential recommendations to create a grace period for states to determine coverage policies for outpatient prescription drugs and removing or raising the rebate cap; a uniform definition of therapeutic foster care; and treatment of third-party payment when determining hospitals’ Medicaid shortfall for disproportionate share hospital payments.

In the afternoon, the Commission turned its attention to Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program, with a new analysis on Puerto Rico’s Medicaid enrollment, spending, available financing, and implications for the future. The Commission also considered potential June recommendations focusing on improving performance and return on investment for state program integrity activities.

Several other important topics were also on the March agenda, including a session on Medicaid coverage of recovery support services for beneficiaries with substance use disorders (SUDs) in the afternoon. On the meeting’s second day, the Commission reviewed a draft letter to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, laying out the eligibility groups that should be included in the department’s forthcoming data book on Medicaid beneficiaries with SUDs. MACPAC’s input on eligibility groups was required in the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act. A review of the proposed rule affecting safe harbors for prescription drug rebates was the topic of the second session, with the final session presenting findings on how various states have approached care coordination in integrated care models.

Supporting the discussion were the following presentations:

1. Potential Recommendations on Coverage Grace Period and Rebate Cap
2. Mandated Report: Therapeutic Foster Care
3. Treatment of Third-Party Payment in the Definition of Medicaid Shortfall: Potential Recommendations
4. Medicaid in Puerto Rico: Financing and Spending Data Analysis and Projections
5. Medicaid Program Integrity: Proposed Recommendations
6. Recovery Support Services for Medicaid Beneficiaries with Substance Use Disorder
7. Responding to SUPPORT ACT Requirement: Eligibility Groups for HHS Data Book on Medicaid and Substance Use Disorders
8. Proposed Rule Affecting Safe Harbors for Prescription Drug Rebates
9. Analysis of Care Coordination Requirements in Integrated Care Models

Because SNAP members and Pennsylvania safety-net hospitals serve so many Medicaid patients, MACPAC’s deliberations are especially relevant to them because its recommendations often find their way into future Medicaid and CHIP policies.

MACPAC is a non-partisan legislative branch agency that provides policy and data analysis and makes recommendations to Congress, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the states on a wide variety of issues affecting Medicaid and the State Children’s Health Insurance Program.  Find its web site here.