Health Equity
Medicaid Enrollment Touches 39% of the Residents of The District of Columbia; DC’s 70/30 FMAP is Vital for the Maintenance of Health & Human Services
A reduction in the District’s FMAP would not lead to long-term government savings and would have a ripple effect throughout the entire health system in the DMV, crippling access to care for not only Medicaid beneficiaries but also all those who live, work, and visit the District of Columbia, including members of Congress and their staffs.
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Why does DC receive an Enhanced FMAP Rate?
The DC FMAP rate of 70% established by the Revitalization Act resulted from bipartisan analysis, discussion, and negotiation by Congressional leadership aiming to balance fairness with the District’s restricted ability to generate revenue. Congress recognized that the District of Columbia faces unique financial challenges due to its non-state status and the significant amount of federally-owned land within its boundaries. The District is unable to tax non-residents’ earnings, so these workers pay no taxes to support the infrastructure and services, such as roads, public safety and emergency services that they benefit from in the District. The District is also unable to tax up to 40% of the real property within its borders due to statutory restrictions.
Why are we concerned about DC's FMAP now?
Members of Congress have proposed reducing the DC FMAP to the statutory minimum for all other states, which is currently 50% (but could be reduced even more). Such a change would impact every physician and every practice, regardless of type, location, and payers contracted. Even practices who take no insurance will not be able to send patients for specialist care, hospital admissions, or other types of care.
What can MSDC members do?
- If you know a member of Congress or staffer, reach out to them and share how DC cuts will hurt your patients.
- Share your relationships and outreach with hay@msdc.org so we can help coordinate advocacy efforts.
- Email hay@msdc.org if you would like to be paired with a physician member of Congress office and trained by MSDC staff on how to reach out.
Resources
- DC FMAP cut fact sheet
- California Medical Association fact sheet on Medicaid cuts
- MSDC and healthcare association letter to Congress arguing against DC FMAP changes.
- MSDC original story on Medicaid changes.
News, Statements, and Testimony on Health Equity Issues
MSDC to Mayor: Thank You for Gun Violence Public Health Crisis Declaration
Today, the Medical Society of DC's leadership sent the following to Mayor Muriel Bowser:
March 4, 2021
The Honorable Muriel Bowser
Mayor of the District of Columbia
1350 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington, DC 20004
Dear Mayor Bowser,
The Medical Society of DC (MSDC) is the largest medical organization representing metropolitan Washington physicians in the District. We advocate on behalf of all 11,000 plus licensed physicians in the District and seek to make the District “the best place to practice medicine”.
On behalf of the Society, we applaud your administration declaring gun violence a “public health emergency” and creating the “Building Blocks DC” initiative. Physicians have been heavily impacted by gun violence in the District and across the country. In 2019, physicians were told to “stay in their lane” when discussing gun violence, and the community responded by engaging even more. MSDC itself issued a statement speaking out on why physicians should be involved in gun violence debates.
Physicians treat the victims of gun violence: those who suffer and die from the violence as well as those survivors and family members who suffer emotional and physical distress. Physicians themselves are high-profile targets of gun violence; recently the death of a pediatrician in Texas in a hostage situation where the physician never met her killer illustrates that physicians and healthcare personnel are perennial violence targets.
The Medical Society has one recommendation to the initiative, and that is to involve more physicians and healthcare employees in Building Blocks DC’s work. We are pleased to see Dr. Roger Mitchell leading one of the working groups, but physicians contribute a valuable medical perspective to how we can mitigate the effects of gun violence. The Medical Society can assist with this, as we have with many initiatives in your administration.
Please contact our office if we can assist, and again thank you for being a leader on this public health emergency.
Sincerely,
EW Emanuel, MD
Susanne Bathgate, MD
Robert Hay Jr., CAE
CC: Linda Harllee Harper
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