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Statement of ACAP CEO Margaret A. Murray on the 58th Anniversary of Medicaid
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 28, 2023
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515, jvanness@communityplans.net
STATEMENT OF ACAP CEO MARGARET A. MURRAY ON THE 58th ANNIVERSARY OF MEDICAID
WASHINGTON – Margaret A. Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP), issued the following statement today to mark the fifty-eighth anniversary of the enactment of the Social Security Amendments Act of 1965, which authorized the Medicaid and Medicare programs:
“Since 1965, Medicaid has proven itself to be the resilient backbone of our health care system. Today, it provides more than 80 million Americans responsive, effective, flexible coverage at a time when they need it most.
“The program showed its worth during the pandemic, serving as a key line of defense at a time when unemployment soared, providing an effective health care safety net for Americans facing medical emergencies and drastic economic changes.
“The valuable role Medicaid played throughout the public health emergency helped Congress to pass a national policy of twelve-month continuous eligibility in Medicaid and CHIP for children, as well as permanent 12-month continuous postpartum coverage for new mothers – two of the most significant steps forward in the program in the last 20 years.
“States have seen the inherent worth of investing in Medicaid, too—forty of our fifty states have expanded their Medicaid programs, with South Dakota expanding their Medicaid program and North Carolina on the brink of following suit.
“However, much work remains to be done; we call on the states that have not yet expanded their Medicaid programs to do so to better protect their residents who have low incomes.
“Further, state Medicaid departments around the country have mobilized to carry out the most significant effort to redetermine eligibility in the nation’s history as we emerge from the pandemic—which thus far have resulted in nearly 4 million disenrollments from Medicaid. Safety Net Health Plans are working closely with their states to assure that their members are ready for their eligibility verifications, and that redetermination processes are smooth, efficient, and above all accurate.
“During this time of transition, ACAP and its member Safety Net Health Plans are committed to coverage for their communities – not only by stepping forward to pitch in on redeterminations but also to help members who are no longer eligible for Medicaid find comprehensive alternative coverage – and avoid the junk insurance plans that can prey on consumers looking for comprehensive health insurance and will soon no longer be allowed to market their substandard coverage as the genuine article.
“Medicaid has become a cornerstone of America’s social safety net in its 58 years. At its core, Medicaid represents the best of us: Americans looking after one another.
“ACAP and its member Safety Net Health Plans celebrate Medicaid’s anniversary and stand ready to work with members of Congress and the Administration to strengthen the program for the next 58 years.”
About ACAP
ACAP represents 80 not-for-profit Safety Net Health Plans, which collectively serve more than 25 million people enrolled in Medicaid, Medicare, Marketplaces, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), and other public health programs. For more information, visit www.communityplans.net.
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