President’s Medicaid Commission Releases Final Report

What’s remarkable about this is that the Commission was only named in mid-July.  Now that’s efficient work, considering what’s at stake!

Key Recommendations:

• PRESCRIPTION DRUG REIMBURSEMENT FORMULA REFORM

• EXTENSION OF THE MEDICAID DRUG REBATE PROGRAM TO MEDICAID MANAGED CARE

• CHANGE THE START DATE OF PENALTY PERIOD FOR PERSONS TRANSFERRING ASSETS FOR MEDICAID ELIGIBILITY

• INCREASE THE “LOOK-BACK” PERIOD FROM THREE TO FIVE YEARS

• TIERED CO-PAYMENTS FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS

• REFORM OF THE MEDICAID MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATION (MCO) PROVIDER TAX REQUIREMENT

Get the Report here.

As I reported earlier this year, the Democrats in Congress rejected President Bush’s offer of non-voting membership on the Commission, so these recommendations may fairly be characterized as partisan in nature.