Model Comment Letter on Medicaid Access RuleBackground and Instructions HHAC and NAHC encourage our members to submit comments on the proposed Medicaid Access Rule. This rule includes a wide range of changes to Medicaid-funded homecare and, most importantly, includes a provision that would require 80% of all Medicaid payments for personal care, home health aide, and homemaker services to be spent on compensation to direct care workers. NAHC is strongly opposed to this provision and hopes that CMS reverses course on this aspect of the rule. The deadline for submitting comments is July 3rd. If you have any questions or require assistance with submitting comments, please contact Damon Terzaghi, NAHC’s Director of Medicaid Advocacy, at [email protected]. Helpful links
Suggestions for Writing Comments CMS gives specific weight to individualized comments instead of form-letters, so we strongly encourage you to personalize your message. According to the Regulations.gov commenting tips, “A single, well-supported comment may carry more weight than a thousand form letters.” Additional recommendations from Regulations.gov include:
Below, we provide a suggested format and topics to stress, and we also highlight areas that can be elaborated upon or strengthened with your own personal and organizational perspective. There is no “one way” to submit comments; however, we recommend that you include specific information and data about the impact of the rule wherever possible. Overall, the most important thing you can do is to tell your story and explain how the proposed changes would be detrimental both to your employees and the people you serve. We also encourage you to change the format of the document below to match your usual style. This can include adding your own letterhead, changing fonts, or doing other cosmetic changes to show that it is reflective of your own organization. Submitting the Comments When you are ready to submit your comments, we recommend that you:
To formally submit your comments:
After Submission Please send a copy of your comment letter to Damon Terzaghi, NAHC’s Director of Medicaid Advocacy, at [email protected]. |