Hill meetings echo the calls of health care experts presenting at Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón's Monday briefing on systemic funding inequities
June 13, 2022
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Beginning today, meetings between lawmakers and Puerto Rico health care equity advocates from the Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Products Association of Puerto Rico (MMAPA) commence on Capitol Hill. These meetings follow a briefing for congressional staff hosted by Resident Commissioner Jenniffer González-Colón on the lack of adequate Medicaid and Medicare Advantage (MA) funding in Puerto Rico. The resident commissioner spoke at today's seminar alongside the president of MMAPA, as well as representatives from the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Puerto Rico Medicaid Program.
"Funding inequity on the island harms our patients, hinders our health care providers, and wreaks havoc on our health care system," said MMAPA President Roberto Pando Cintrón. "It's time that lawmakers remedy these long-standing health care challenges in Puerto Rico. MMAPA will continue doing our part to help identify a long-term, bipartisan solution."
Puerto Rico has the highest MA penetration rate of any locale, with 80% of eligible beneficiaries enrolling. Yet the difference in rates between the mainland and Puerto Rico has widened to 41% today from 24% in 2011, and Puerto Rico’s rate is 23% below the neighboring territory of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Further, current short-term Medicaid funding expires in December and without congressional action, health care for 1.5 million vulnerable residents could be in jeopardy.
–
About MMAPA
The Medicaid and Medicare Advantage Products Association of Puerto Rico (MMAPA) is a non-profit organization composed of the leading Medicaid and Medicare Advantage organizations in Puerto Rico. Founded in 2009, MMAPA is dedicated to promoting policy solutions to solve Puerto Rico's health care challenges.
Follow MMAPA on Twitter at @mmapapr or visit our website, mmapapr.org.
Media Contact:
Phalen Kuckuck Hamilton Place Strategies pkuckuck@hamiltonps.com
Comments