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Board agrees to send letter urging Congress to preserve Medicaid directed payment funding
Summary
In a work session the Board of Supervisors voiced unanimous support to send a letter — proposed by the Virginia Hospital Association and presented by a Carilion representative — asking federal lawmakers to protect Medicaid directed payment funding amid uncertainty in upcoming federal budget negotiations.
Supervisor Mary Biggs introduced a proposed letter of support asking Congress to protect federal funding for state‑directed Medicaid payments. A Carilion representative, identified in the meeting as Mr. Flattery, explained why the hospital system and regional health providers view the program as critical to local patient care funding.
Mr. Flattery told the board that Medicaid generally does not cover the full costs hospitals bear for care and that states and the federal government share Medicaid funding. He said the letter comes from the Virginia Hospital Association and that local health systems asked municipalities to adopt similar letters to urge congressional representatives to preserve funding during the federal budget negotiations, which include large discretionary cuts under discussion.
Board members asked clarifying questions about whether proposed federal cuts would necessarily hit Medicaid and whether the letter should go to both the U.S. representative and the two U.S. senators. Mr. Flattery described the action as a preemptive request for advocacy while the federal budget total remains uncertain.
The board voted to enter a work session to consider the item (roll call recorded in the minutes as seven ayes). After discussion in the work session, the board indicated unanimous support by voice/show of hands to send the letter and asked staff to direct it to the county’s U.S. representative and both U.S. senators.
Nut Graf: The letter seeks congressional protection of the Medicaid directed payments mechanism that helps channel state and federal funds to hospitals and safety‑net providers. County officials said the request is time‑sensitive because federal budget negotiations could affect Medicaid funding levels that support local hospitals, including the New River Valley Medical Center.
The board did not adopt a binding resolution; staff will prepare and transmit a letter of support to federal lawmakers on behalf of the board.
