Review

January 2014 Review – Health Care Center Stage

December 18, 2013

During the 2014 Virginia General Assembly Session, consideration will be given to providing health insurance coverage to uninsured Virginians. Clearly, VHHA members support finding some pathway to cover the 250,000 or more Virginians who lack coverage and could be eligible to participate in the state’s Medicaid program or some alternative solution tailored to Virginia’s needs.

A feature of the Affordable Care Act, as modified by the United States Supreme Court, provides substantial federal funding for states to expand Medicaid, the program that pays for health care for low-income people. During its 2013 Session, the General Assembly created the Medicaid Innovation and Reform Commission to examine ways to reform the existing Medicaid program (principally in those areas relating to the aged, blind and disabled populations) and consider the possibility of expanding the existing Medicaid program. This Commission was very active in 2013 and has overseen the activities of the executive branch of government in implementing approaches to restructure service delivery and provide program discipline and accountability for the 65 percent of current total Medicaid expenditures for services to the disabled and aged.

Download the entire Review issue here.