FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Month Xx, 2015

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Month xx, 2015

Contact: [appropriate name], MD, FACP (provide acceptable phone # and email address)

Internal Medicine Specialists Urge State Legislature to Continue Program Vital to Medicaid Patient Access

(insert names of city, state) — A letter emphasizing that it is vital that [STATE] continue a program designed to ensure patients enrolled in Medicaid have access to primary care physicians was sent today to state legislators on behalf of the [STATE] chapter of the American College of Physicians. For the past two years, the Medicare-Medicaid payment parity program has ensured that primary care physicians would be reimbursed no less than Medicare rates for taking care of Medicaid enrollees. Federal funding for the program expired at the end of 2014, however, resulting in a deep cut in Medicaid payments to primary care physicians on January 1.

“My professional organization, the American College of Physicians, recently released a report on the impact of continuing the Medicaid rates in our state [insert link to your state report],” said [name of ACP governor], MD, FACP. “The Medicaid program has long-struggled to attract participating physicians, making it difficult for low-income children, parents, qualifying adults and elderly Medicaid enrollees to find a doctor. And, with the Medicaid population increasing, it is vital that [STATE] step up and do the right thing by resuming this program.” A national study in the Jan. 21, 2015 New England Journal of Medicine indicated that, prior to its expiration, the pay parity program was working. It found that appointment availability for Medicaid-participating primary care providers increased by 7.7 percent during the period that pay parity was in effect, demonstrating that higher reimbursements are related to improved access for Medicaid patients.

“Medicaid enrollees need access to primary care physicians, yet before this program went into effect in 2013, Medicaid payments in almost all states were much lower than Medicare—often below the cost of providing care—making it unaffordable for many of my colleagues to accept more Medicaid patients,” Dr. [letter writer] noted. “It is unfortunate that the U.S. Congress did not continue to fund the program, and although there is a chance that the current Congress might yet restore federal funding, Washington gridlock is more likely to stand in the way. Our state can and must do better, by passing legislation on our own to reverse the cut in Medicaid payments to primary care physicians that occurred because of the U.S. Congress’ failure to act.”

(Optional: A short patient story illustrating the importance of Pay Parity – including patient access and results – included here will help to strengthen your case.)

“Please work with your colleagues to continue this critical program,” Dr. [letter writer] concluded. *** The [State] chapter (add chapter URL) of ACP represents [insert number] internal medicine physician specialists and medical student members who live, study, teach and practice in the state. ACP has 141,000 members. It is the largest physician specialty society and second largest physician-membership organization in the United States.