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New Medicaid Rule is a Pre scri ption for Disaster in New York
Mon, 13 Oct 2008 06:31:00
The Bush Administration is moving forward with a proposed new Medicaid rule that would decimate health care for many New Yorkers. The federal cutbacks come at the very time when, due to the economic downturn, many families stand to lose health insurance and access to vital health services.
The federal rule would impact hundreds of health centers by lowering reimbursement rates from existing Medicaid levels to Medicare rates. If the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implements this rule, New York health care providers would lose more than $450 million in Medicaid reimbursements-a monumental hit.
Planned Parenthoods and family planning centers alone would lose $22 million, irreparably damaging their ability to serve a population that is already drastically underserved: low-income women.
Many of these women will lose access to gynecological exams, prenatal and postpartum care, health education, cancer screening, vaccinations, treatment for sexually transmitted infections and birth control. Without contraceptive services provided by publicly funded health centers, there would be an estimated 1.4 million-or 46 percent-more unintended pregnancies annually in the United States.
Enhancing-not decreasing-family planning services is a smart public health strategy, especially in times of fiscal instability. Reproductive health care is an essential part of primary health care and a critical component of efforts to improve public health and reduce infant mortality. Pregnancy planning and spacing leads to healthier birth outcomes.
But it's not just family planning services that would be affected. The rule would also devastate adult day care centers, dialysis clinics, substance abuse counseling, mental health care and developmental disability services. Many providers who serve Medicaid patients already struggle to make ends meet. This rule will put many of those providers out of business. Others would be forced to slash services and most certainly reduce staff to balance their budgets.
That is why 150 leaders from health care organizations across the state have appealed to the Bush Administration to halt this misguided rule and maintain vital Medicaid funding. They worked with New York's Congressional delegation to block the proposed reductions to outpatient and clinic services, pointing out that these are "precisely the services needed most during challenging economic times."
New York has worked hard to increase access to primary care and reduce the dependency on expensive emergency room treatment. This policy would reverse that work, forcing more people to delay treatment until they end up in the hospital or the emergency room. New York has been successful in creating a more patient-centered health care system. The proposed Medicaid rule would seriously impede those efforts and investments-and threaten the health and lives of women and families in New York State.
Susan Pedo is the acting president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York State.
The federal rule would impact hundreds of health centers by lowering reimbursement rates from existing Medicaid levels to Medicare rates. If the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) implements this rule, New York health care providers would lose more than $450 million in Medicaid reimbursements-a monumental hit.
Planned Parenthoods and family planning centers alone would lose $22 million, irreparably damaging their ability to serve a population that is already drastically underserved: low-income women.
Many of these women will lose access to gynecological exams, prenatal and postpartum care, health education, cancer screening, vaccinations, treatment for sexually transmitted infections and birth control. Without contraceptive services provided by publicly funded health centers, there would be an estimated 1.4 million-or 46 percent-more unintended pregnancies annually in the United States.
Enhancing-not decreasing-family planning services is a smart public health strategy, especially in times of fiscal instability. Reproductive health care is an essential part of primary health care and a critical component of efforts to improve public health and reduce infant mortality. Pregnancy planning and spacing leads to healthier birth outcomes.
But it's not just family planning services that would be affected. The rule would also devastate adult day care centers, dialysis clinics, substance abuse counseling, mental health care and developmental disability services. Many providers who serve Medicaid patients already struggle to make ends meet. This rule will put many of those providers out of business. Others would be forced to slash services and most certainly reduce staff to balance their budgets.
That is why 150 leaders from health care organizations across the state have appealed to the Bush Administration to halt this misguided rule and maintain vital Medicaid funding. They worked with New York's Congressional delegation to block the proposed reductions to outpatient and clinic services, pointing out that these are "precisely the services needed most during challenging economic times."
New York has worked hard to increase access to primary care and reduce the dependency on expensive emergency room treatment. This policy would reverse that work, forcing more people to delay treatment until they end up in the hospital or the emergency room. New York has been successful in creating a more patient-centered health care system. The proposed Medicaid rule would seriously impede those efforts and investments-and threaten the health and lives of women and families in New York State.
Susan Pedo is the acting president and CEO of Family Planning Advocates of New York State.
