Under the Affordable Care Act, between 16 million and 20 million more Americans will become eligible for Medicaid, starting in 2014. To help meet this demand, the reform law requires state Medicaid agencies to increase primary care provider reimbursement to the level of Medicare rates in 2013 and 2014 and provides federal funding to cover the additional cost.
With Commonwealth Fund support, the Center for Health Care Strategies has created a guide for states, Implementing Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase: A Roadmap for States, outlining key implementation and planning activities that states can undertake now to prepare for these changes, prior to the release of regulatory guidance from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. The roadmap provides advice on how to analyze fee schedules, engage stakeholders, leverage policy opportunities, and other tasks.