By Julian Pecquet, The Hill, July 30, 2010
The Senate is expected to hold a cloture vote Monday evening on a bill that includes enhanced federal Medicaid funding for states.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) filed for cloture Thursday evening on a substitute amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that includes enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) for states.
The FMAP provision mirrors the phased-down increase in enhanced Medicaid funding that was included in the most recent version of the defeated tax extenders package. It would give states a 3.2 percent Medicaid funding boost for the first quarter of 2011 and 1.2 percent for the second quarter, at a cost of $16.1 billion.
State officials have been warning that failure to extend the enhanced FMAP payments approved in last year's recovery act past their Dec. 31 expiration date would result in tens of thousands of state employees being laid off and deep cuts to social services.
Reid's substitute also requires drug manufacturers to offer steeper discounts for certain types of drugs in the Medicaid program. The provision covers inhalation, infusion and injectable drugs not sold through retail pharmacies; it saves the federal government $2.1 billion over 10 years.
For more information read the following ALERT from ADAPT's Rahnee Patrick
SOS!
SAVE OUR SERVICES in OUR HOMES!
YOUR CALLS TO CONGESS HAVE WORKED!
WHILE we defend our freedoms in our hometowns, YOUR calls to Congress worked! Here’s our chance to save our in-home services in our states! Continuation of the increases in Federal Medical Assistance Percentages or FMAP will be called to a roll call vote on Monday August 2 at 5:45 PM EDT!
KEEP calling the following key Republican and Democrat senators! Ask they vote YEA on Amendment 4567 to HR 1586.
THIS IS IT! OUR IN-HOME SERVICES CAN BE SAVED! Matches of federal Medicaid dollars is IN, IF we get this passed! Time is of the essence as the Senate is due to recess around August 9.
Take control of YOUR in-home services! Tell Congress to act now and extend more Medicaid funding until June 30, 2011 for people with disabilities across the nation!
BACKGROUND ON AMENDMENT 4567 to HR 1586 & FEDERAL MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PERCENTAGES (FMAP)
Federal Medical Assistance Percentages (FMAP) are the percentage rates used to determine the Federal matching funds rate allocated annually to certain state level medical and social service programs. The current rate has a temporary increase due to funds from the stimulus act. We would like to see this increased rate continue through June 30, 2011.
Funds that are eligible for FMAP match include Medicaid, State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) expenditures, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) Contingency Funds, the Federal share of Child Support Enforcement collections, and Child Care Mandatory and Matching Funds of the Child Care and Development Fund.
Amendment 4567 to House Resolution 1586 will extend a 3.2% increase to states from January 1, 2011 – March 31, 2011. Effective April 1, 2011, this amendment reduces the match by two percent. However, we believe a 1.2% increase to states is a lot better than a zero percent match to states. Please read the amendment's text at http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getpage.cgi?position=all&page=S6530&dbname=2010_record.
Rahnee K. Patrick