GOVERNMENT & MEDICINE

Congressional task force ready to tackle Medicaid reform

Rep. Heather Wilson sees comprehensive changes in the program's future.

By Joel B. Finkelstein, AMNews staff. July 19, 2004.

Washington -- With major Medicare reform under their belts, some lawmakers are encouraging colleagues to turn their attention to Medicaid, now the larger of the two programs.

Federal lawmakers also are feeling pressure from the states as Medicaid grows as a proportion of their already tight budgets. Ideas are on the table, but Congress has yet to begin formally discussing them, a long and arduous process in itself. AMNews recently spoke with Rep. Heather Wilson (R, N.M.), chair of the Republican House Task Force on Medicaid Reform, about the program's prospects.

Question: What are the goals of the task force?

Answer: The task force was formed with several objectives. One was to identify and explore the challenges facing Medicaid. There was a recognition that we in Congress and the Energy and Commerce Committee really had not spent a lot of time on Medicaid. We were, as far as health care is concerned, almost completely absorbed with Medicare. So the second objective was to raise the level of understanding of members about what Medicaid involves and how it's set up.

And the third was to begin to prepare the groundwork for significant changes, focused on how do we make this program work better for the people who depend upon it. That means the states, doctors and hospitals, community groups and advocacy groups, who are very concerned about this program. We needed to open the lines of communication.

[...]

Full text of AMNews content is available to AMA members and paid subscribers.

Access details

Join the AMA