Washington DC Advocates Urge Better Medicaid Coverage and Payment

ACI Alliance is supporting the efforts of Washington, DC advocates to proactively address very low Medicaid payment and incomplete coverage issues for the set of services inherent to cochlear implantation. On January 30, a group of advocates met with DC Medicaid officials to discuss the city’s current policy and its effect on access. Led by State Champions Jeffrey Kim and Michael Hoa of Georgetown University Medical Center, the effort was further boosted by River School staff Nancy Mellon (director) and Meredith Ouellette (speech pathologist) and the group’s secret weapon 12-year old Grace Kowal—a bilateral cochlear implant recipient and River School graduate. ACI Alliance Director Donna Sorkin provided support and attended the meeting. We were gratified at the positive response of the Medicaid director and staff, who indicated they will work with these advocates to bring about more appropriate cochlear implant (Medicaid) coverage in Washington, DC.