House Lawmakers Introduce Bill That Would Increase Federal Medical Assistance Percentage for State Medicaid Programs

A bipartisan group of House members has introduced a bill (HR 5268) that would temporarily increase the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentage by 2.95% for eligible states, CQ HealthBeat reports. The legislation would increase FMAP from April 1 through June 30, 2009. Under the bill, states would have to maintain current Medicaid enrollment levels to qualify for the FMAP increase. States also would have to adjust reimbursements by localities and counties to account for the FMAP increase.

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.), a co-sponsor of the bill, said, "This legislation builds upon the broader economic stimulus package that the House approved by providing states with the resources necessary to meet growing health care demands." Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.), also a co-sponsor of the legislation, said that the bill "provides relief to states, so that they will not have to cut health care" programs as budgets tighten (CQ HealthBeat, 2/8).