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Rep. Joseph P. Kennedy III Named ACAP Congressional Leadership Award Winner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 20, 2019
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Jeff Van Ness, (202) 204-7515
ACAP HONORS REPRESENTATIVE JOSEPH P. KENNEDY III WITH CONGRESSIONAL LEADERSHIP AWARD
WASHINGTON—The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) recognized Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III (D-Mass.) today with its 2019 Congressional Leadership Award. The award is given to a Member of Congress who demonstrates a high commitment to protecting and strengthening programs vital to the health and well-being of vulnerable populations.
ACAP honored Representative Kennedy for his leadership and bipartisanship on H.R. 1879, the Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act of 2019. Introduced in conjunction with Representative John Katko (R-N.Y.), the bill would provide 12-month continuous eligibility for all Medicaid and CHIP enrollees.
Continuous eligibility will help mitigate “churn” for Medicaid and CHIP enrollees—that is, interruptions in coverage due to issues such as lost paperwork and small, temporary increases in income.
Reducing churn will reduce the number of low-income Americans who lack health insurance coverage and improve the stability and quality of care they receive. Health plans and providers in the Medicaid program will also be able to improve continuity of care, which is particularly important for people with complex chronic illnesses or people who suffer from substance use disorders.
Representative Kennedy has been a passionate and consistent champion of key health care issues during his four terms representing Massachusetts’s fourth district in the House of Representatives. In addition to introducing the Stabilize Medicaid and CHIP Coverage Act, he has sought an increase to Medicaid reimbursement for behavioral health providers and has worked to strengthen equitable treatment for mental health conditions and substance use disorders within insurance plans.
“We applaud Representative Kennedy for working with his colleagues across the aisle to introduce legislation that addresses continuous eligibility,” stated ACAP CEO Margaret A. Murray. “His continued commitment to improving health care for the most vulnerable populations is why we recognize him today.”
The Congressional Leadership Award was presented during ACAP’s annual CEO Summit.
About ACAP
ACAP represents 66 Safety Net Health Plans, which provide health coverage to more than 20 million people in 29 states. Safety Net Health Plans serve their members through Medicaid, Medicare, the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Marketplace and other health programs. For more information, visit communityplans.net.
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