Federal Government Threatens Illinois Medicaid Reform Package

The implementation of breakthrough Medicaid reform legislation has been halted for illogical reasons. 

Last month, Illinois Medicaid managers were informed by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMS) that two of the 15 reforms passed by the previous General Assembly in January violate federal rules that prohibit states from changing criteria for those who seek Medicaid. The two reforms that are said to violate the criteria deal with income and residency requirements. 

The reforms in question seek to prove Medicaid eligibility in order to ensure that those who truly need assistance receive what they deserve. Asking Medicaid recipients how much they earn or to provide proof of residency is an effort to prevent fraud and effectively save money for Illinois. The intent of these reforms was not to alienate people from seeking Medicaid. The criteria for Medicaid eligibility are valid and should not be prevented by the federal government.

This type of overreach is particularly egregious. I hope to see a quick resolution to this issue followed by the successful implementation of the complete Illinois Medicaid reform package. 

Editor's note: This post is cross-published on Patch sites throughout the 21st district.