Hoosiers enrolled in Medicaid — and their family members or caregivers — may have a chance to directly contribute to policy and administrative discussions. The Family and Social Services Administration is accepting applications for the Beneficiary Advisory Council.
The Beneficiary Advisory Council is required by a 2024 federal rule. It's meant to create a way for Medicaid members to provide feedback to the state and the Medicaid Advisory Committee, or MAC.
Charity Lumpkin with FSSA said the council will help the state have “bidirectional feedback” between the state and those enrolled in Indiana Medicaid.
“It's a group that provides dedicated opportunities for people with lived experience on the Medicaid program to identify key issues to bring to the MAC and to advise the state directly on policy and administration concerns or ideas,” Lumpkin said.
The group is open to people enrolled in Medicaid programs, their family members and caregivers — both those who are paid and those unpaid.
Lumpkin said the state wants to build a council with a wide variety of experiences.
“We know that Medicaid members are a varied group, and so members may represent more than one type or one area of Medicaid,” Lumpkin said.
The application is designed to learn “as much about an individual” and their experiences with Medicaid. Lumpkin said that can include current experience and their history with Medicaid.
She said FSSA will review the applications and conduct interviews before the Medicaid director appoints members.
However, four members will not need to fill out an application. Lumpkin said those members will be appointed by the General Assembly and approved by the Medicaid director.
The application is available on FSSA’s website. It must be submitted by July 15. People can apply by submitting the application online or by mailing it to FSSA’s Office of Medicaid Policy and Planning.
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Lumpkin said the state expects the Beneficiary Advisory Council to be in place by the end of September.
Under the 2024 federal rule, the Beneficiary Advisory Council and the MAC are required have members that serve on both. This year, that is 10 percent. By July 11, 2027, the rule requires one-quarter.
The MAC also has some required changes from the federal rule. Lumpkin said all members of the MAC are required to reapply.
The MAC application process will help the state select people for 10 slots that are not reserved for legislators and Beneficiary Advisory Council members.
The state will select six people that represent a variety of Medicaid providers, two to represent the insurance companies that manage Medicaid plans and two to represent a state or local consumer advocacy group or other community-based organization that represent or provide direct services to Medicaid members.
Abigail is our health reporter. Contact them at aruhman@wfyi.org or on Signal at IPBHealthRuhman.65.