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 Launches Compensation Survey for DC Physicians
MSDC's Gender Equity Task Force has launched a city-wide physician compensation survey to evaluate pay parity in the District of Columbia. Although gender pay disparity and its negative impacts are well-documented on a national level, reliable data on the District of Columbia is lacking. To evaluate pay parity in medicine in our nation’s capital, a physician-led task force designed a confidential physician compensation survey, which can be found at
surveymonkey.com/r/physicianpay.
All physicians regardless of gender identity are encouraged to complete the survey and to then share it widely with colleagues to ensure a representative and thorough survey.
This survey comes after yet another national study found a gender pay divide in medicine. The study by Doximity found that women physicians nationwide earned nearly $102,000 less than men physicians, even after accounting for specialty, location, and experience. The gap had narrowed by 2% in the past year according to the study, but multiple studies show that the gender wage gap in medicine is stubborn.
The lack of DC-specific data makes the Gender Equity Task Force’s comprehensive MSDC survey a timely, unique, and important undertaking. Widespread participation in this survey is necessary to understand the nature and scope of gender pay disparity in the District. Therefore, the Task Force encourages all physicians to complete this critical and confidential survey, located here or via the QR code below, and then pass the survey on to colleagues. Additional information about the MSDC Gender-Equity Task Force can be found at https://www.msdc.org/advocacy/gender-equity.
Scan for survey:
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