Senators Support Medicaid Solution for Puerto Rico
U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent a letter to Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Ranking Member Mike Crapo (R-ID) calling for a long-term solution to Puerto Rico’s Medicaid underfunding.
Puerto Rico is facing another Medicaid cliff in September when it is scheduled to lose as much as 90% of its current funding for Medicaid.
Medicaid in Puerto Rico
About 1.5 million of Puerto Rico’s 3.2 million residents rely on Medicaid for healthcare. However, Medicaid in the territories is not the same as Medicaid in the States. Federal funding for Medicaid in the States is based on the needs in those states; when the need is greater, the funding expands to meet those needs. In Puerto Rico, there is a cap on federal spending.
Even in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, subsequent earthquakes, and the COVID-19 pandemic, Puerto Rico received less funding that it would have as a state of the United States. The result is that the territory must beg Congress for additional funding every couple of years to eke out sufficient funds to meet basic healthcare needs of its residents. Again this year, the government of Puerto Rico faces a Medicaid cliff — that is, a shortfall in funding for the Medicaid program.
Read more: https://www.puertoricoreport.com/senators-support-medicaid-solution-for-puerto-rico/#.YP3xl9fPzIU