The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) stimulus legislation included 27 months of enhanced federal medical assistance percentage (commonly known as FMAP) for state Medicaid programs to increase their federal match rates. Totaling $87 billion nationally, the enhanced FMAP benefits the state of Ohio by raising the federal match rate for the state from 62.1% to 70.3%. This translates to approximately $2.8 billion in additional funding. The enhanced FMAP is scheduled to expire December 31, 2010, which is in the middle of Ohio's state budget fiscal year.
This funding benefited OPRA members in the form of avoiding provider rate cuts that may have been necessary without the additional funds. With a system that so heavily relies on Medicaid as a funding source, continued support for the program is critical.
As the Congressional debate over health care reform enters its final stages, an extension of the FMAP enhancement continues to be a part of the debate. While neither the House nor the Senate's final versions of health care reform included additional FMAP funds, the House did pass a six month extension in separate legislation. Recently, Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO) circulated a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) in support of an enhanced FMAP extension that has been co-signed by many of his Senate colleagues, including Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown.
With momentum building in favor of an FMAP extension, your help is needed to contact members of the Senate in support of the proposal. Your input and personal stories will be critical to the debate. Your voice will help this important issue rise in priority in the midst of what is expected to be a contentious process of reconciling the House and Senate versions of health care reform. Please use OPRA's action center to help you with talking points to contact Ohio's Senate members today!
