December 2015 Public Meeting

The December meeting opened with an update on MACPAC’s activities, followed by a session on access to care in Medicaid, in which commissioners examined the key provisions of the Assuring Access to Covered Medicaid Services, a final rule, which the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued in November 2015. MACPAC previously submitted comments to CMS on the proposed Medicaid access rule when it was released in 2011.

The Commission then previewed current work on Medicaid access issues, which includes external research and issue briefs planned for early 2016. Later, the Commission reviewed the Department of Health and Human Services’ recent report to Congress on implementation of the Section 1115 demonstration transparency requirements added by the Affordable Care Act. The Commission will submit comments on the Secretary’s report before the end of 2015.

In the afternoon, the Commission reviewed a draft chapter on integration of physical and behavioral health planned for MACPAC’s March 2016 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP. During the final session of the day, MACPAC analysts presented a series of analyses to inform work on the future of children’s coverage, ranging from the relationship of health status and health care use to out-of-pocket spending under exchange coverage, to use of premium assistance under Medicaid and CHIP.

The meeting concluded with a spontaneous tribute by sitting commissioners to colleagues whose terms expire at the end of 2015.

Presentations

1. Review of the Equal Access Final Rule
2. Access Work in Development
3. Review of Secretary’s Report on Section 1115 Waiver Transparency Requirements
4. Review of Draft Chapter for March 2016 Report to Congress: Integration of Behavioral and Physical Health Services in Medicaid
5. Health Care Use and Conditions of Children with High Out-of-Pocket Spending in Exchange Coverage
6. Policy Issues in Children’s Coverage: Medicaid-Expansion CHIP Programs
7. 2017 Exchange Benefit and Payment Parameters Proposed Rule
8. Medicaid and CHIP Premium Assistance and the Basic Health Program