Important Happenings in HIV/Health Policy

Week Ending: Sept. 21, 2018
By: Matthew Rose & Sable K. Nelson

Two House Democrats Call to Subpoena Trump Administration Regarding Medicaid Work Requirements

Two members of the U.S. House of Representatives, Reps. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) and Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL), sent a letter to House Oversight Committee Chairman Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., on Thursday to request a subpoena to compel the Trump administration to turn over key documents relating to their push to implement work requirements for Medicaid. The goal is for the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform Leadership to compel the White House to share more information on the possible effects of its move to tie Medicaid eligibility to employment. Reps. Cummings (D-MD) and Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) assert that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) are withholding documents related to Medicaid work requirements and what it could mean for beneficiaries. Reps. Cummings (D-MD) and Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) inquiry came a week after more than 4,000 Arkansas residents lost Medicaid coverage due to work rules in the state. For more information, READ → https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/healthcare/democrats-seek-to-subpoena-documents-on-medicaid-work-rulesl

Proposed Immigration Rule Changes Likely to Adversely Impact PLWH

The Trump administration released a proposed rule which seeks to empower the Administration to effectively impose a merit-based immigration system without an act of Congress. The proposed rule would permit the rejection of immigrants from the US if they have too little income and/or education. The intention is to impose harsher rules for determining when immigrants are likely to be considered a “public charge.” According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, “‘public charge’ means an individual who is likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence, as demonstrated by either the receipt of public cash assistance for income maintenance or institutionalization for long-term care at government expense” (https://www.uscis.gov/greencard/public-charge). This legal determination can block an individual’s path to permanent residency (i.e., obtaining a green card). The proposed public charge test does not apply to persons seeking asylum, refugees, Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) applicants, etc. According to a reporting by The Body, However, the proposed changes to the public charge rule “…would essentially operate as a de facto ban on HIV-positive individuals seeking permanent residence in the U.S. Immigrants with disabilities or pre-existing medical conditions such as HIV/AIDS would be required to show proof of unsubsidized health insurance — i.e., no Medicaid, ADAP, or Obamacare, thus creating a back door to a reinstatement of the HIV immigration ban.” (http://www.thebody.com/content/81028/public-charge-rule-devastating-hiv-immigrants.html) For more information, READ → https://abcnews.go.com/Health/things-trumps-public-charge-immigration-proposal/story?id=58064875

Podcast: KHN’s ‘What The Health?’ Health On The Hill

n this episode of KHN’s “What the Health?” Julie Rovner of Kaiser Health News, Rebecca Adams of CQ Roll Call, Margot Sanger-Katz of The New York Times, and Joanne Kenen of Politico talk about a spate of health-related legislative action on Capitol Hill, including Senate passage of a bill to address the opioid epidemic. Plus, for extra credit, the panelists recommend their favorite health policy stories of the week. For more information, LISTEN → https://khn.org/news/podcast-khn-what-the-health-september-20-2018-health-on-the-hill/?utm_campaign=KHN%20-%20Weekly%20Edition&utm_source=hs_email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=66112809&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-9OFJGo63PgMvJLHAgsxhXmLHSHPw-ido84UeTH8-9sN-jbMYXe3N176G684G_BEwJvxpC–5_cQ8qlVZJy4J6sohESEA&_hsmi=66112809

What You Can Do

TAKE ACTION: It is very important that our elected officials hear from us to protect federal HIV funding for HIV prevention and care.  Speak truth to power by sharing your personal stories with your elected officials. It is vitally important to meet your federal elected officials when they are at home. If we don’t support and advocate for HIV funding and programs, who will?  Our movement cannot afford to stand on the sidelines.  Your U.S. Senators and U.S. Representatives need to hear from you.

• Find your U.S. Senators: https://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm
• Find your U.S. Representative: https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

Also, MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE REGISTERED TO VOTE in time for the general mid-term election happening this year:

For more information, VISIT→ https://www.eac.gov/voters/register-and-vote-in-your-state/

Finally, PARTICIPATE IN THE GENERAL ELECTION(S) in your state: 11/6/18

For more information, VISIT→ http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/2018-state-primary-election-dates.aspx

What NMAC is Doing About It

• NMAC is working to provide information to federal agencies as they work on the 2020 budgets.
• NMAC is working in coalition to respond to the new rule on public charge issued by the administration.
• NMAC continues to engage with coalitions to push back on the implication of work requirements on state Medicaid programs.
• NMAC continues to do work on protecting HIV-positive service members from the new DoD separation policy.

 Have a policy question? E-mail us! We would like to help if we can. Mrose@nmac.org or SNelson@nmac.org