To represent and strengthen not-for-profit, safety net health plans as they work in their communities to improve the health and well being of vulnerable populations.
New Yorker’s Community Service Wins National Award: Hudson Health Plan’s Ramirez Honored for “Making a Difference”
February 22, 2010
The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) announced today that Hudson Health Plan’s Juan Pablo Ramirez has been named the first recipient of its annual “Making a Difference” award in recognition of his outstanding service to the community that has gone far “above and beyond the norm” to help thousands of underserved residents.
As a community relations representative for Hudson Health Plan, Ramirez has helped thousands of disadvantaged Hudson Valley residents gain access to low-cost or free health care. Representing the nonprofit health care organization, he has forged strong relationships with local organizations, opening the door for area residents to secure critical medical services. But he makes a difference far beyond his work with Hudson Health Plan, volunteering in eight organizations, including one that he founded and others in which he plays key leadership roles, to improve the lives of thousands more area minorities and immigrants.
“Ramirez’s tireless service exemplifies what is best about the people working in our health plans, and we are proud to present him with our first national award,” said Margaret A. Murray, ACAP’s Chief Executive Officer. “His service stands out and deserves special recognition and praise. He makes a big difference in the lives of literally thousands of people.”
Press Release: "New Yorker’s Community Service Wins National Award"
Partnership for Medicaid Urges Health Reform Efforts to Continue: Stresses Importance of Medicaid's Role in Health System
January 27, 2010
The Partnership for Medicaid, a national coalition of health care, local government, and labor organizations, today applauded the work of pro-health care reform lawmakers and urged them to continue their push for comprehensive legislation.
At a Capitol Hill briefing, the Partnership for Medicaid stressed that during these tough economic times and lengthy period of high unemployment, millions more lower-income and disabled Americans depend on the Medicaid system for their health care. The non-partisan coalition – an alliance of 18 organizations representing doctors, health care providers, safety net health plans, counties, and labor – praised Congress’ recognition of the importance of Medicaid when it voted to expand the program significantly in both the House and Senate health care reform bills.
Press Release: "Partnership for Medicaid Urges Health Reform Efforts to Continue"
Safety Net Health Plans Urge Adoption of Larger Medicaid Expansion: Keeping House Provision is Top Priority of Health Care Reform
January 5, 2010
As lawmakers begin reconciling the differences between House- and Senate-passed health care reform bills, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) is calling on negotiators to adopt the larger expansion of Medicaid contained in the House bill, listing it in a letter sent to Congress as the group’s top priority for the conference committee.
ACAP Members Ranked as Nation’s Best Health Plans
November 12, 2009
The high quality of six members of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) was recognized today as they were named “America’s Best Health Insurance Plans” in a prominent annual ranking done by U.S. News & World Report and the National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA).
Among Medicaid-focused plans, the ACAP members earning the highest rankings were:
- Boston Medical Center HealthNet Plan (ranked 2nd)
- Neighborhood Health Plan in Massachusetts (4th)
- Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island (7th)
- Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, operated in partnership with Monroe Plan for Medical Care in Rochester, NY (9th)
- UPMC Health Plan in Pennsylvania (15th)
- AmeriHealth Mercy Health Plan in Pennsylvania (25th)
ACAP Makes Push for House Health Bill Passage
November 5, 2009
As a weekend vote approaches in the U.S. House of Representatives for the final passage of its health reform bill, ACAP has intensified its support efforts. Overall, H.R.3962, the “Affordable Health Care for America Act” will expand coverage to more Americans, protect the interests of low-income and medically-needy people, and preserve vital safety net programs in a manner that merits ACAP’s support. A big part of this bill will raise Medicaid coverage to 150% of the poverty level for all Americans which ensures that 15 million low income Americans can get the right set of benefits and services in their communities with protections against high cost sharing. ACAP has joined other organizations supporting this legislation in a letter to Speaker Pelosi and Congressman Dingell as well as through a Roll Call ad running just before the vote. ACAP has also issued a press release and sent it's own letter of support to all House leadership and members of congress.
Medicaid Expansion Praised by Safety Net Health Plans: Applauds House Health Care Reform Bill’s “Cost-Effective” Move
October 29, 2009
The Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) praised House leaders for including an additional expansion of Medicaid in the health reform bill they unveiled today, calling it a “cost-effective step that will provide better and more affordable care for up to five million more Americans who need help the most.”
“Making more people eligible for Medicaid not only saves money, but it will also provide more Americans with better coverage and the services they need,” said Margaret A. Murray, Chief Executive Officer of ACAP. “It’s good for low-income Americans and taxpayers, and it makes the overall health reform bill stronger. We urge the full House to support this legislation.”
Health Care Groups Push for Bigger Medicaid Expansion: Letter to House Leaders Follows CBO Estimate of Cost Savings
October 20, 2009
In the wake of new estimates showing that a greater expansion of Medicaid would cut the cost of health care reform bills, groups representing doctors, health centers, county governments, and Medicaid-focused health plans today told Congress they “strongly support an expansion of Medicaid to the maximum extent possible."
An option now under consideration, given additional steam by new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates, would expand Medicaid to cover everyone up to 150 percent of the federal poverty level, up from the 133 percent now called for by committee-passed bills. In a letter to House Democrats, the organizations urged Congress to “support the inclusion of such an expansion,” noting that it would “provide cost-effective care to more currently uninsured people.”
Safety Net Health Plans Praise Progress on Health Reform: Say Senate Panel’s Action is Step Closer to Expanded Coverage
October 13, 2009
The nation’s safety net health plans today called the Senate Finance Committee’s passage of health care reform legislation “an important hurdle to clear that takes us an important step forward toward achieving real reform.
“The Committee’s action represents continued progress and keeps us on track to seeing the kind of meaningful and comprehensive reform the nation needs,” said Margaret A. Murray, Chief Executive Officer of the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP). “While there are differences between the five committee-passed bills, there are more similarities. All the bills would expand access to affordable coverage, make Americans more secure, and protect critical programs for the most needy and vulnerable.”
Safety Net Health Plans Urge Bigger Medicaid Expansion: Call on Congress to Expand Program that CBO Says Would Cut Costs
October 9, 2009
As congressional leaders prepare health care reform bills for debate in the full House and Senate, the Association for Community Affiliated Plans (ACAP) strongly supports one idea gaining additional steam in an effort to cut costs – expanding Medicaid to cover more Americans. According to press reports, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has said it is less costly to cover more people under the existing Medicaid program than to provide them with subsidies to buy private insurance as now envisioned by five congressional panels.
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