Gilbert Gimm
The health care bill being pushed by the Senate could worsen access to services for people eligible for both Medicare and Medicaid, said Gilbert Gimm, a professor in George Mason University’s Department of Health Administration and Policy.
The bill could force many states in 2021 and 2022 to make painful decisions in terms of benefit reductions and cuts to provider reimbursements. Those cuts would have an adverse impact on access to care for vulnerable populations, Gimm said.
A study by Gimm et al., published in the Disability and Health Journal in December 2015, found that younger dual-eligible beneficiaries are more likely to face barriers in obtaining timely access to care than older dual-eligible beneficiaries.
The Senate bill, though, would worsen access to services for both younger and older dual-eligible adults, Gimm said.
“Access to health care services and long-term supports and services is particularly important for the 10 million Americans who are dual-eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare,” he said.
Gilbert Gimm, a professor of health administration and policy, has research experience in program evaluations, disability and aging, care coordination models, and health care payment reforms. He can be reached at703-993-9165 or ggimm@gmu.edu.
For more information, contact Jamie Rogers 703-993-5118 or jroger20@gmu.edu.
About George Mason
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls 35,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.