The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) today released the 2021 edition of the MACStats: Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, with updated data on national and state Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment, spending, benefits, and beneficiaries’ health, service use, and access to care. From July 2020 to May 2021, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP increased by about 8.9 percent, driven in large part by the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic as well as federal requirements that states not disenroll individuals during the COVID-19 public health emergency.... [Read More]

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) today announced that Executive Director Anne L. Schwartz, PhD, plans to retire in spring 2022. Dr. Schwartz has led the organization for nearly a decade, first joining MACPAC in 2012.... [Read More]

Congressional advisory panel makes recommendations for addressing high-cost specialty drugs in Medicaid, improving access to mental health services The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released its June 2021 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP  today, recommending that Congress take measures to address the effect of high-cost specialty drugs on state Medicaid programs ... [Read More]

Congressional advisory panel makes recommendations for improving Medicaid’s responsiveness during economic downturns, addressing disparities The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) released its March 2021 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP today, recommending that Congress adopt measures aimed at improving Medicaid’s responsiveness during economic downturns; addressing concerns about high rates of maternal morbidity ... [Read More]

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) today released the 2020 edition of the MACStats: Medicaid and CHIP Data Book, with updated data on national and state Medicaid and State Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollment, spending, benefits, and beneficiaries’ health, service use, and access to care. From July 2019 to July 2020, enrollment in Medicaid and CHIP increased by about 5.6 percent, driven in large part by the economic downturn created by the COVID-19 pandemic.... [Read More]

Although MACPAC’s next public meeting is not until September, we wanted to reach out to let you know about activities underway at MACPAC to address the two key public health crises gripping the United States: COVID-19 and systemic racism. As others have noted, these two are linked: elevated rates of infection and mortality from COVID-19 ... [Read More]

Commission says addressing these issues is “of heightened importance at this time” The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) today released its June 2020 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, which this year addresses how to improve integration of care for dually eligible beneficiaries who have both Medicaid and Medicare coverage; increasing enrollment ... [Read More]

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) requests proposals for a solicitation to award multiple Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) task order contracts. The request for proposals is available at this link on the beta.sam.gov website; a paper copy will not be issued. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement ... [Read More]

Commission looks at safety-net hospital payment, reporting on quality measures, and demonstration program evaluations The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) today released its March 2020 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP, highlighting three issues of ongoing interest to Congress: payment to safety-net hospitals; the quality of behavioral health care and care provided ... [Read More]

Commission finds that nearly every state uses Medicaid funds to pay for IMD services, despite longstanding federal prohibition Washington, DC—Despite a decades-old statutory provision that largely prohibits federal Medicaid payments to institutions for mental diseases (IMDs), states can and do legitimately pay for mental health or substance use disorder (SUD) services in these facilities, according to ... [Read More]