Mr. Coffman’s most emphasized point involves changing the way Medicaid expansion is funded. While proposed Republican bills have significantly cut funding for Medicaid programs that expanded under the ACA, Mr. Coffman instead shifts the burden of funding away from the federal government onto states.
Mr. Coffman does not want to cut Medicaid expansion funding entirely, with 400,000 people gaining coverage in Colorado alone, but says it is unsustainable for the government to cover 90 percent of the cost. Under his plan, federal and state governments will have to share costs evenly for anyone who enrolls in Medicaid after 2020.
“I think first of all I need to convince Republicans to back away from doing this unilaterally,” said Coffman. “I think, together, Republicans and Democrats will be able to craft a solution that makes sense for the country. I think it is wrong for Republicans, on such a critical piece, to go forward alone on this.”
At the time of publication, Mr. Coffman was scheduled to introduce his proposals to House Republicans Wednesday morning.
More Articles on Leadership:
BCRA and AHCA – Both are fixes, neither are solutions
Senate vote on healthcare bill could take place next week
Medicaid beneficiaries rate their coverage and care: 8 findings
At Becker's 4th Annual CEO + CFO Roundtable, taking place November 2–5 in Chicago, more than 1,500 hospital and health system executives tackle decisions that determine whether organizations thrive or merely survive: protecting margins under cost pressure, choosing where to grow, renegotiating payer relationships, stabilizing the workforce and proving real ROI on technology. This is where leaders work through them together, face-to-face. Apply for complimentary registration now.