The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has proposed a rule, "Medicaid Program; Methods for Assuring Access to Covered Medicaid Services." This rule would create new state reporting requirements for access to care measurements that would be submitted annually to CMS, but also prior to submitting a State Plan Amendment to reduce or alter payment rates.
The rule intends to establish standardized, transparent processes for states to assure that payments are sufficient to maintain consistent access to services. The proposed rule allows states discretion in the types of data collected and reported, as long as data on all covered services is included at least once every five years. SHADAC's State Profiles are listed in this proposed rule as resource for access measures for each state.