In January 2019, we featured the changing status of the Money Follows the Person (MFP) program with its initial expiration at the end of 2018. Since then, we’ve shared updates on the program’s status, which has been uncertain because funding for the services it supports have only been extended in short, periodic segments. In this article, we recap the timeline of MFP, the changes it has undergone, and share the latest developments that may impact providers in 2020.
A Brief Timeline of MFP
- 2005 – MFP enacted by President Bush
- 2010 – MFP expanded by Affordable Care Act through 2016
- 2016 – MFP expired September 30th, with funds required to be used by 2018
- 2018 – EMPOWER Care Act introduced in Congress to extend MFP funding
- 2019 – Medicaid Extenders Act introduced to extend MFP program through September 31, 2019; in December, Congress authorized a short-term extension through May 22, 2020, which was then signed by President Trump as part of a larger budget bill
Latest Developments
The short-term extension passed by Congress and signed by the President in December of 2019 provided another 5 months of funding, which took coverage of MFP into the new year. With the next expiration of the program set for May 2020, it still faces the unfortunate possibility that it may end, which would directly impact the behavioral health population and HCBS.
In order to determine a permanent solution for MFP, Senators Chuck Grassley and Ron Wyden included the program in their proposed legislation for drug pricing regulation in December 2019, which featured extenders for Medicare, Medicaid and additional public health programs. If this legislation is accepted as written, MFP could be permanently extended.
Disability advocates continue to push for a permanent solution, in part because the program has been very successful at moving individuals with I/DD, mental health issues, or elder-care needs out of institutions and into home- and community-based settings. According to Kaiser Family Foundation, MFP had served over 90,000 people as of June of 2018, by enabling residents in 44 states to move into their communities. In addition, MFP has led to a 20% savings, per beneficiary, for Medicaid since 2006.
Because MFP has both widespread and bipartisan support, advocates hope a permanent solution for the program’s expansion is only a matter of time. Whether such legislation can be accomplished in 2020 is yet to be seen; however, we’ll continue to follow the situation closely and will share any future updates.