Congress Averts “Medicaid Cliff” With Year-End Spending Bill, Funds Puerto Rico’s Medicaid Program For Two Years
Legislation Provides Temporary Funding For Island’s Medicaid Program, But A Long-Term, Comprehensive Solution Is Still Needed
December 20, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Jim O’Drobinak, president of the Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Products Association of Puerto Rico (MMAPA), a non-profit organization composed of the leading Medicaid and Medicare Advantage organizations in Puerto Rico, released the following statement on legislation that will provide funding to shore up Puerto Rico’s Medicaid program for the next two years.
Mr. Jim O’Drobinak said: “For far too long, Medicaid beneficiaries in Puerto Rico have been uncertain about how much longer they’ll have access to health care. By passing legislation that will stave off the ‘Medicaid Cliff’ for two more years, the federal government has taken an important first step toward giving these people some peace of mind. We would like to thank the President and Congress for approving this legislation. Additionally, MMAPA thanks Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González, Puerto Rico Governor Wanda Vázquez Garced, and Puerto Rico Secretary of Health Rafael Rodriguez for their continued support of funding for Medicaid and Medicare Advantage beneficiaries in Puerto Rico and the island’s health care system at large.”
“In 2020 and beyond, MMAPA will continue working with Congress and the administration to develop and implement a comprehensive, long-term funding solution for both Medicaid and Medicare that ensures people on the island have access to the health care they need and deserve,” he added.
The year-end spending bill sets Puerto Rico’s Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) at 76 percent for the next two years and allows for an increase of $200 million each year in certain circumstances.
About MMAPA
The Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Products Association of Puerto Rico (MMAPA) is a non-profit organization composed of the leading Medicaid and Medicare Advantage organizations in
Puerto Rico. Founded in 2009, MMAPA is dedicated to promoting policy solutions to solve
Puerto Rico’s health care challenges. Follow MMAPA on Twitter at @mmapapr or visit our website, mmapapr.org.
Media Contact:
Meghan Pennington Hamilton Place Strategies mpennington@hamiltonps.com
Comments