FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15, 2022
CAMI Response to Administration’s Request for Information (RFI) regarding Access to Care and Coverage for People Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP
WASHINGTON, D.C.— Earlier this week, the Center for Accountability, Modernization and Innovation (CAMI) submitted a response to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Request for Information regarding Access to Care and Coverage for People Enrolled in Medicaid and CHIP.
In its comments, CAMI continues to call for increased flexibility for states to ensure federal and state benefits programs serve the most vulnerable as effectively and efficiently as possible.
CAMI noted in its comments that the COVID-19 public health emergency proved that states need and will use administrative flexibility to handle surges in demand for services, specifically citing the flexibility authorized by the Congress and Department of Labor to allow state unemployment insurance (UI) programs to hire contractors, part-time, and retired employees to support UI determinations. As CAMI has noted previously, a large number of states, led by both Democratic (21 including DC) and Republican (17) governors, opted to use the flexibility to supplement, not supplant, state public service employees.
“To improve timeliness for determinations and enrollment or eligibility processes, CMS needs to allow states to waive the requirement to use merit system employees when experiencing a temporary surge in beneficiary applications or redeterminations. The UI experience should guide CMS to develop innovative approaches to the largest enrollment challenge ever facing state Medicaid programs. Additionally, as most states have some form of integrated eligibility, we encourage CMS to work with other federal agencies to ensure that this type of staffing flexibility be allowed across all programs, such as SNAP in USDA.”
Read CAMI’s full comments to the RFI here.
The Center for Accountability, Modernization and Innovation (CAMI) provides thought leadership designed to help government work better for the American people. We support policies that improve outcomes and drive innovation in government service through public and private partnerships.