Casey Presses Administration to Abandon Plan for Lifetime Coverage Limits on Medicaid
Proposal Would Allow States to File Waivers to Limit or Block Access to Medicaid Coverage
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Casey Presses Administration to Abandon Plan for Lifetime Coverage Limits on Medicaid
Proposal Would Allow States to File Waivers to Limit or Block Access to Medicaid Coverage
Read the Letter to HHS Opposing Medicaid Waivers Here
Washington, DC – Today, U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Ranking Member of the Special Committee on Aging, wrote a letter to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to urge the agency to reject Medicaid waiver applications from states that seek to limit, restrict or block guaranteed access to affordable coverage for Americans.
“Since 1965, Medicaid has been a key health care pillar for middle and working-class Americans,” Senator Casey wrote. “HHS’ recent decision to impose restrictions on Medicaid coverage through state waivers is the latest in a long line of actions the Trump Administration has taken to rip health care coverage away from hardworking Americans and their families.”
Recent reports indicate that the newest scheme in the Administration’s playbook to sabotage affordable health care is to allow states to impose lifetime limits on Medicaid coverage through state waivers. Prior to the Affordable Care Act (ACA), millions of families were just one illness away from bankruptcy due to these lifetime limits. The ACA eliminated lifetime limits on health care coverage.
“The[se] actions run contrary to basic protections provided to Americans and their families under the ACA…Imposing a lifetime limit on coverage on Medicaid beneficiaries, those individuals who are least likely to be able to afford major medical expenses, directly contradicts the premise of the program,” the letter explained. “I urge you to prevent states from implementing Medicaid waivers that will roll back protections and drive up costs for patients, and once and for all, end your sabotage of affordable coverage for individuals and families.”
In order to provide transparency on behalf of hardworking Americans and their families, Sen. Casey requested documents and communications between HHS, Indiana and Kentucky regarding their approved Medicaid waivers.
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