Inside Health Reform Looks to Deborah Bachrach for Two Articles on Pennsylvania's Medicaid Expansion

"Pennsylvania to Unveil Arkansas-Type Plan to Handle Medicaid Expansion Population Through Private Plans" and "Corbett Drags His Feet on Moving Some Children From CHIP to Medicaid"
Inside Health Reform

September 13, 2013 - Inside Health Reform interviewed Manatt's Deborah Bachrach, a partner in the firm's Healthcare Division, for two articles discussing Pennsylvania's plans for Medicaid expansion under the health reform law.

In "Pennsylvania to Unveil Arkansas-Type Plan to Handle Medicaid Expansion Population Through Private Plans," Inside Health Reform reports that Pennsylvania is expected to soon announce a state-unique solution for handling the ACA's Medicaid expansion that is similar to Arkansas' plan, which will offer childless adults premium assistance to enroll in plans on the exchange.

Bachrach, who's been working with Arkansas on its premium assistance waiver, told the publication that if Pennsylvania goes the route of Arkansas, it will be a much smoother road because of the kinks CMS has ironed out with Arkansas.

"We've worked though the federal government on how you mix public and private insurance - you have to think about the rules that apply to qualified health plans and Medicaid and strike a balance - Arkansas provides a pathway to do that. It should be easier for other states that follow," Bachrach said.

In "Corbett Drags His Feet on Moving Some Children From CHIP to Medicaid," Inside Health Reform reports that Pennsylvania is being required by HHS to move children below 133 percent of the poverty line from its Children's Health Insurance Program to Medicaid. The state is resisting the ACA-required move, which will shift an estimated 50,000 children, but Governor Tom Corbett is reviewing the options. State officials are also reportedly looking more seriously at future Medicaid expansion and reform possibilities.

Bachrach said that the intent of switching children under 133 percent to Medicaid was that if states do decide to expand Medicaid, adults in the same family will be under the same program albeit with slightly different benefits.

"It's part of a vision for low income families because if a state that expands, then you have families covered by the same program when family income is below 133 percent of poverty level," Bachrach said, referring to the ACA's CHIP and Medicaid policies. She also said that the switch should not cost states much more because of the extended cost sharing by the federal government to Medicaid.