FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - June 14, 2016

Contact: Audrey Sandusky, 202-293-3114 ext. 207

NFPRHA Welcomes New Guidance Designed to Strengthen the Provision of Family Planning in Medicaid
Guidance Addresses Coverage and Provider Protections, Beneficiary Access

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) released guidance designed to reinforce Medicaid program rules, strengthen the delivery of high-quality family planning services and supplies under Medicaid, and encourage states to implement approaches to ensure timely access to care. The following is a statement from Clare Coleman, President & CEO of the National Family Planning & Reproductive Health Association (NFPRHA):

“We applaud CMS for its leadership in elevating the need to reinforce bedrock family planning protections in Medicaid. Today’s guidance is a good step toward protecting and preserving the publicly funded family planning provider network and improving access for the millions of patients who rely on it for high-quality family planning and sexual health care every year.

“As states expand Medicaid eligibility under the Affordable Care Act and more Americans gain access to health insurance coverage, it becomes increasingly important to modernize program protections to be more responsive to the family planning and sexual health needs of low-income women and men across the country. We appreciate the agency’s commitment to prioritizing family planning and working to improve access to these essential health services.”

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NFPRHA is a membership organization representing providers and administrators committed to helping people get the family planning education and care they need to make the best choices for themselves and their loved ones. NFPRHA works to enhance the ability of thousands of nurse practitioners, doctors, and other health professionals to provide high-quality family planning care through training and advocacy. For more information, visit nationalfamilyplanning.org.