There’s no question that the conversation about healthcare is significantly and rapidly changing.

As discussions continue regarding the repeal of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), block-granting Medicaid or making it a per-capita-cap program, earlier this week, Republican House leadership wrote to governors and state insurance commissioners. The letter requests input on “key administrative, regulatory, or legislative changes… that would help reduce costs and improve health outcomes” in Medicaid. The letter also asks about the individual, small group, and large group health insurance markets in states. Additional issues include:

  • 1552 and 1332 waivers,
  • timing issues, such as state budget deadlines,
  • the legislative calendar,
  • insurance rate and form review requirements, and
  • legally required consumer notices.

Republican House Leadership has requested responses by January 6th, 2017.

Advocates are encouraged to weigh in by reaching out to their governors and commissioners with information and ideas about how to respond to this letter.

For example, supporters could share the state impact of Medicaid and CHIP on children’s coverage, how the ACA provides coverage to age 26 for young adults (especially youth formerly in foster care), eliminates annual and lifetime caps, how the ACA provides coverage for parents and young adults on the Medicaid expansion, and the ever-important coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Learn more about how Medicaid, CHIP, and the ACA cover children and how changing them would be damaging to children:

Medium Post: Medicaid Per Capita Caps: A Terrible Twist on a Bad Idea

Medium Post: Medicaid Block Grants: A System of Rationing, Inequity and Harm

Fact Sheet: Medicaid Per Capita Caps Jeopardize the Health of Children

Fact Sheet: Medicaid Per Capita Caps Jeopardize the Health of Children and Other Vulnerable Populations

Voices for Kids Blog: Medicaid Block Grants and the Rationing of Health Care

Fact Sheet: Medicaid Keeps Children Healthy