CHA News

CHA Submits Joint Letter on Proposed Rule to Rescind Methods Assuring Access to Covered Medi-Cal Services

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CHA, the California Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems, Private Essential Access Community Hospitals, Inc., the California Children’s Hospital Association, and the District Hospital Leadership Forum have submitted a joint letter opposing the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule that would rescind current requirements for the way states assure access to covered Medicaid services.

Specifically, the proposed rule would remove the regulatory text that establishes the current process for states to document whether Medicaid payments in fee-for-service (FFS) systems are sufficient to enlist enough providers to assure beneficiary access to covered care and services.

In the letter, the organizations detail their opposition to the proposal to rescind the requirements and outline the following concerns:

  • The importance of monitoring access for vulnerable populations served by FFS delivery systems
  • The impact of FFS reimbursement changes on managed care reimbursement
  • The importance of provider participation and a public process to inform access to care
  • The need for greater CMS oversight of state Medicaid programs