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Medicaid Health Plans of America Pledges Full Support of AHIP's New Plan to Expand Health Care Coverage to Every American

Posted on: Monday, 13 November 2006, 15:01 CST

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Medicaid Health Plans of America (MHPA), the leading trade association solely focused on representing Medicaid health plans, announced its full support of a recently-released proposal aimed to expand health care insurance coverage for all US residents.

The proposal, unveiled November 13 by America's Health Insurance Plans, calls for the expansion of Medicaid eligibility to 100 percent of the poverty level to adults, among other key elements. The five-point plan lauded by industry experts as "workable" and "fiscally responsible" would involve private sector and government cooperation but does not specifically call for a mandate to establish a new agency to execute the program. The recommendations focus primarily on "prevention" and "early intervention."

MHPA Executive Director Thomas L. Johnson praised the AHIP recommendations as a practicable approach to promote expansion of health care coverage. "MHPA fully supports the principals outlined by AHIP in its plans to expand health insurance coverage to every American," explains Johnson. "The call to expand Medicaid eligibility to 100% of the poverty level is a goal MHPA shares and stands firmly behind. The use of managed care to reach this under-served population should indeed lessen any cost impact expansion substantially."

Specifically, MHPA supports the proposals to: * Expand SCHIP to make eligible all uninsured children from families with incomes under 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level; * Improve and expand Medicaid to make eligible all uninsured adults, including single adults, with income under 100 percent of the Federal Poverty Line; and * Establish a federal performance grant to assist states in expanding access to coverage.

Johnson also pledged his organization's support in joining with AHIP in its national push to promote the cause to members of Congress.

MHPA, a non-profit national organization based out of Washington, DC, provides advocacy, research, analysis and organized forums that support the development of effective policy solutions to promote and enhance the delivery of quality healthcare. For more information, visit Medicaid Health Plans of America at http://www.mhpa.org/ or email at mhpa@rcn.com

Medicaid Health Plans of America

CONTACT: Karen Seidman of Medicaid Health Plans of America,+1-202-364-8134, fax: +1-202-364-0131, karen@seidmansays.biz

Web site: http://www.mhpa.org/

Source: PRNewswire

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