NCSL News on Health Reform
NCSL Passes Policies Supporting Health Care Reform, Climate Change
State legislators urge Congress to preserve states’ rights, avoid cost shifts
PHILADELPHIA – State legislators Thursday warned the federal government not to reform health care on the backs of the states.
Meeting today in Philadelphia, state legislators called on Congress and the Obama Administration to fully fund the new Medicaid beneficiaries and services as outlined in federal health care reform proposals.
Several of the major federal proposals would increase the number of people and expand the types of services states would have to provide. And states want to make sure the federal government will pick up the tab for these expenses.
“The truth of the matter is states are battling budget shortfalls and face increased demand for services,” said Speaker Joe Hackney of North Carolina, who is immediate past-president of the National Conference of State Legislatures. “We just can’t enroll more people on Medicaid when we can’t pay for the ones we currently have.”
The policy on federal health reform enacted at the National Conference of State Legislatures meeting says any reform of federal health care must respect states’ interests and ensure people will be able to keep all their insurance protections. NCSL policies on state-federal issues guide lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill.
Several other policies were addressed regarding communications and financial services, transportation, education and energy and environment. Regarding health care reform, state lawmakers reflected the national conversation on the issue in that they voiced divergent perspectives.
“We support covering all Americans, but we want to ensure that a state-federal partnership includes respect for state law, avoiding costs shifts and unfunded mandates,” Hackney said. “States lead the way in health care reform initiatives and many already have passed reform efforts.”
Currently, Medicaid absorbs about 15 percent of state general fund budgets. As unemployment rates increase in states and people lose their jobs, they can lose employer-provided health insurance and turn to Medicaid for coverage. The health reform policy, adopted in the NCSL business meeting at the group’s Legislative Summit in Philadelphia, includes statements on
- No unfunded mandates that would shift costs to states;
- Preserve states’ regulation of insurance;
- No new expanded mandatory benefits unless fully funded by the federal government;
- Protection for so-called legacy states that already have enacted health reform;
- Urges Congress and the Obama Administration to build on state-reform efforts;
- Provide a trigger mechanism that guarantees enhanced federal Medicaid funding when economic indicators decline;
- Endorses a public option for those for whom private insurance is not a choice.
Policies that were enacted passed the annual business meeting by three-fourths vote. Most policies are in place for three years. Other NCSL policy statements enacted contain a common themes: the federal government should avoid unfunded mandates and preemption of state authority and, at the same time, provide states flexibility to develop their own solutions to policy challenges.
The legislators passed a new policy statement on charter schools that urges the Department of Education not to tie state financial assistance to requirements for the number of charter schools in states. Several new climate change policies ask the federal government to recognize the immense potential effect of climate change legislation on state, local and tribal governments.
Also, a new immigration reform statement calls for comprehensive immigration reform legislation that would respect the appropriate roles that state and federal governments have in immigrant policy. New policies on financial services reforms oppose federal preemption of state authority over insurance regulation. NCSL also endorsed proposed legislation that would strengthen the landmark Unfunded Mandate Reform Act originally passed in 1996.
For more information on new NCSL policies, please contact press-room@ncsl.org.
NCSL is a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the states, commonwealths and territories. It provides research, technical assistance and opportunities for policymakers to exchange ideas on the most pressing state issues and is an effective and respected advocate for the interests of the states in the American federal system.
