Medicaid Primary Care Rate Increase: Considerations Beyond 2014

The Medicaid primary care rate increase, a provision of the Affordable Care Act, requires Medicaid programs to reimburse primary care providers at Medicare levels for two years. The increase was intended to ensure sufficient provider participation as the Medicaid population expands. As the temporary provision enters its final months, a number of state and federal policymakers are considering extending the rate increase into 2015 and beyond. This new brief draws from interviews with policy experts and stakeholders across the country to assesses the policy's successes and failures. The brief examines the rate increase through the provider's lens, reviews its impact in meeting access and quality goals, and outlines considerations for states interested in extending and strengthening the provision to better meet its goals.