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
The Healthy Physician Foundation Announces Inaugural Winner of the Dr. Cesar A. Caceres Innovation in Healthcare Technology Award
Join The Healthy Physician Foundation, MSDC, and the healthcare community in celebrating a special awardee at the 2025 Capital Healthcare Honors.
Caretaker Medical is the inaugural winner of the Dr. Cesar A. Caceres Innovation in Healthcare Technology Award.
This new award, presented by the Healthy Physician Foundation and Institute for Technology in Health Care, honors the legacy of Dr. Caceres, a visionary physician and inventor whose groundbreaking medical devices continue to shape healthcare today. This award recognizes a DC area company that reflects Dr. Caceres’s spirit of innovation by leveraging technology to address critical healthcare challenges and improve the practice of medicine.
Celebrate Caretaker Medical and the individual awardees at the 2025 Capital Healthcare Honors on March 26 at the National Press Club. Learn how you can purchase a table or sponsor the event here.
This award is supported by a grant from The Institute for Technology in HealthCare, a non-profit organization, located in Washington, DC. The Institute for Technology in HealthCare is concerned with the use of technology to benefit and stimulate others in health care. For more information about The Institute for Technology in HealthCare please visit the website at www.ithcawards.org.
Caretaker Medical is a digital health company based in Charlottesville, VA that is focused on developing continuous patient monitoring platforms that improve outcomes, increase clinician productivity and maximize patient compliance and comfort. Its VitalStream platform is the world's only FDA-cleared wireless, wearable cardiac output and non-invasive blood pressure monitor. It merges intuitive, user-friendly technology with the clinical accuracy needed from an acute-care hemodynamic monitor. Data can be visualized on a tablet or smartphone interface, transmitted to hospital EMRs, or uploaded to a secure cloud interface for remote patient monitoring. Learn more here.
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