APMA Responds to CMS' Proposed Changes to Medicaid

APMA submitted two comment letters to CMS on Monday, July 3, in responses to proposed changes to Medicaid generally and Medicaid Managed Care.

In its responses, APMA was generally supportive of CMS benchmarking Medicaid reimbursement rates to the Medicare Fee Schedule to improve Medicaid provider participation. However, we expressed concerns over CMS limiting the benchmarking to evaluation and management services for providers in primary care, obstetrics and gynecology, mental health services, and substance abuse disorders. APMA recommended expanding the benchmarking to other specialty providers, including podiatric physicians to ensure that Medicaid patients have access to the collaborative care team they need. We also stressed to CMS that it should work with Congress to recognize podiatric physicians as being physicians under Medicaid.

To read these comment letters in full as well as all other comments, visit www.apma.org/CommentLetters. If you have questions or concerns, contact the APMA Health Policy and Practice department at healthpolicy.hpp@apma.org.