The prospect of new leadership due to a presidential election brings with it the potential for significant shifts in priorities, policies, and programs within federal agencies. Medicaid now provides healthcare coverage for more than 84 million Americans. Since 2010, Medicaid has been subject to significant federal policy changes, starting with expansion as part of the Affordable Care Act, pandemic-related continuous eligibility provisions, expanded coverage for postpartum women, and just recently updated rules for managed care plans. The 2024 election will have a significant impact on Medicaid in the coming years, although you won’t hear much about it on the campaign trail (but our DC Direct subscribers get a steady stream of insight to stay on top of what’s coming next).
Medicaid’s political salience has been quiet but steadily increasing since 2010, with now 41 states (including DC) having expanded access, changing the political narrative about the program. Medicaid coverage churn due to the unwinding of the pandemic related continuing-coverage provisions has been politically fraught for governors and legislatures, even bringing some states like Mississippi to finally consider the expansion opportunity to improve stability of coverage.
States each have their own approach to designing Medicaid coverage, but federal rules set the parameters within which they choose how to maintain access and quality of healthcare for low-income individuals and families. New CMS rules are requiring require more from managed care plans who contract to administer Medicaid in many states, increasing network adequacy, quality measurement standards, consumer protections and tailored approaches for long-term services and supports. These changes will shape the future of procurements for managed care services.
The election is very likely to touch on broad issues of affordability and equity, which are relevant to all healthcare programs but especially to Medicaid. Current policy priorities that center on equity have resulted in program design features that can impact the social determinants of health, including initiatives to address housing insecurity, food access, and mental health services. Increasingly these concerns have been bipartisan, although the proposed approaches will differ based on who is in charge.
Changes in national leadership – whether at CMS, HHS, or in the White House – will inevitably result in changes to the Medicaid program that impacts states and the agencies that serve the millions of Americans who rely on the program for essential healthcare services. Our Leavitt Partners colleagues provide regular intelligence on all the federal activity in D.C. that impacts Medicaid and other state health programs. Learn more about DC Direct and how this steady stream of insight can help inform your strategic decisions.
