FMAP Funds Approved

 

Additional federal money to states for Medicaid was first made available in 2009 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, which included an increase in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) - the amount of the federal “match” for state Medicaid spending. The increased funding was due to expire on December 31, 2010, but after much uncertainty, legislation passed that extends the increased matching funds through June 2011. 

As reported in the June MGH Community News, the state FY2011 budget (that started on July 1, 2010) included two sets of spending levels: one if the state did not receive additional fiscal relief in the form of the FMAP funding, and another set of numbers allocating FMAP funding. Under the measure, Massachusetts will receive $450 million in federal Medicaid funding and $205 million in educational funding.

One potential wrinkle, however, is that, with the MA Legislature now in informal sessions for the rest of the year, one lawmaker can stop action on any bill. That means a lone Republican could prevent the state from spending the money until formal sessions resume in January.

- From “Aid bill contains $655m for Mass.: $26b measure clears key US Senate hurdle; Patrick prepares plan to restore budget cuts”, by Mark Arsenault and Michael Levenson, Globe Staff, The Boston Globe, August 5, 2010, at http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2010/08/05/federal_aid_bill_contains_655m_for_mass/ retrieved 8/5/10 and Medicare Watch, Medicare Rights Center, August 05, 2010.

 

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