Health Equity

Home / Advocacy / Important Issues / 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.

 

What Medicaid Cuts Actually Cost

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

 

 

What DC Physicians Need to Know About J&J Vaccine Pause

Apr 13, 2021, 14:36 PM by MSDC Staff
Below are some details you need to know about the J&J pause, with updates made as they happen.


Locally

  • DC Health has asked all providers to pause using the J&J vaccine for the time being.
  • All appointments between Tuesday and Saturday with the J&J vaccine made through the DC Health portal have been cancelled. 
  • Appointments made through the vaccinate.dc.gov portal will be rescheduled and the individuals will be contacted Wednesday evening to set new appointments. 
  • Sites using a federal supply of vaccines will have their plans communicated to them through the appropriate federal channel.
  • Private pharmacies supplied the J&J vaccine will not have those doses replaced from the District stock.

Nationally

  • On April 16, the CDC and FDA announced a pause in the use of the Janssen/J&J vaccine.
  • The agencies announced the pause after six (6) cases of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) were observed after the J&J vaccine was administered. The CVST was observed in combination with low levels of blood platelets. 
  • All six cases were women between the ages of 18 and 48, and symptoms occurred 6-13 days post-vaccination.
  • The agencies noted that the usual treatment of these types of blood clots is not advised in these situations.
  • The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) met on Wednesday, April 14. The Committee recommended extending the pause until it meets again between April 14 and 24, when it has more data to consider.
  • These 6 cases are among the 6.8 million doses of J&J vaccines administered this year.
  • If your patient has extreme pain or shortness of breath within 3 weeks of being vaccinated, they should contact you immediately. Maintain a high index of suspension for symptoms that might represent serious thrombotic events in patients who have received the J&J vaccine. 
  • Adverse effects to vaccines should be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System at https://vaers.hhs.gov/reportevent.html.

Takeaways for speaking to your patients:

  • Vaccinations are safe.
  • If the FDA and CDC confirm the vaccine did cause the clots, you still have only a 1 in 1,000,000 chance of it happening to you. You are less likely to suffer a blood clot from the J&J vaccine than lightning hitting you at the same time a shark eats you.
  • This process shows the government is watching the vaccines very carefully, because they are pausing this one vaccine despite very little evidence it is dangerous.

Hear more from MSDC member Dr. Lisa Fitzpatrick:

Load more comments
avatar
New code