In a piece in Insurance Thought Leadership, misleading labeled “Obamacare Expands Into Workers’ Comp”, MaryRose Reaston asserts that
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was created to expand healthcare coverage. Unfortunately, the act has overstepped its bounds and will dip into the workers’ compensation coffers by requiring mandatory reporting for Medicaid beneficiaries. [emphasis added]
No, ACA has not “overstepped its bounds”. The efforts by states are just that – state-based – and they are allowed/enabled by Federal legislation that is separate and distinct from the ACA. Michael Stack has written an excellent summary of the situation, noting that the federal legislation allowing Medicaid to pursue settlements was part of the Medicaid Secondary Payer Act, which in turn was part of the 2013 Budget Bill..
In fact, I find the attempt to link ACA with state Medicaid recovery activity curious and convoluted. ACA expanded Medicaid – in states agreeing to do so. States remain the primary regulatory bodies for Medicaid. There is nothing in Ms Reaston’s argument that indicates how or by what means ACA encourages Medicaid to pursue workers comp settlements. States that expand or don’t expand Medicaid can decide to pursue settlements – independent of ACA.
Make no mistake, there are clear “winners” here – taxpayers. Any taxpayer should demand Medicaid recover any monies necessary to provide treatment paid for by Medicaid that should have been covered by workers comp.
