Joint Letter Sent To Governor Northam By Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association, The Medical Society Of Virginia & Virginia College Of Emergency Physicians Regarding The Downcoding Provision

On July 31, 2020, Virginia hospitals and health care trade associations for medical professionals sued the state Department of Medical Assistance Services (DMAS) over a new policy that automatically cuts Medicaid reimbursement for potentially preventable emergency department visits and hospital readmissons. The policies went into effect on July 1, 2020. DMAS created a list of 790 diagnoses that it considers preventable with proper primary care . . .