Robust outreach and enrollment efforts, and standards and payments that ensure timely and equitable access to quality care are critical to a comprehensive access and coverage strategy, AHA told (LINK to come) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services today, responding to the agency鈥檚 recent request for information on the issue.

鈥淪tate governments鈥 chronic underfunding of the program, and the added pressure for states, hospitals and others providers in managing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, present significant challenges for CMS in developing comprehensive solutions to ensure access and coverage,鈥 the letter notes. 鈥淭he AHA recommends that the agency convene stakeholder roundtables or workgroups to explore regulatory and legislative solutions to these access and coverage challenges and ensure that both beneficiaries and their hospital and health system providers are represented.鈥 

CMS plans to use stakeholder feedback on the RFI to inform future policies, monitoring and regulatory actions to ensure Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries have equitable access to high quality and appropriate care.

Related News Articles

Headline
The Senate Appropriations Committee July 31 advanced the fiscal year 2026 appropriations bill for the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services,鈥
Perspective
House members are back in their districts for the August recess and senators are likely to return to their states soon.While lawmakers are home, it鈥檚 important鈥
Headline
The Trump administration today announced steps drug manufacturers must take to lower prescription drug prices in the U.S. to "most favored nation" pricing, the鈥
Headline
The Department of Health and Human Services today issued a notice announcing a 340B Rebate Model Pilot Program as a voluntary mechanism for qualifying drug鈥
Chairperson's File
Public
The recently enacted One Big Beautiful Bill Act will bring big changes to health care. AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack joined me for a Leadership Dialogue鈥
Headline
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz, M.D., July 19 visited AtlantiCare health system in New Jersey, making stops at its鈥