Editorial Defends Right To Sue States Over Medicaid Cuts

An American Medical News editorial argues that "doctors and Medicaid recipients have standing to sue the state for failing to pay rates as required under the equal access provision of the Medicaid law." The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing a case to determine whether physicians and Medicaid beneficiaries can sue states over provider reimbursements. The case stems from Medi-Cal -- the state's Medicaid program -- reimbursement cuts approved by the California Legislature in 2008 and 2009. The editorial states that the "whole point of an insurance program is that it provides actual treatment when it's needed -- not a whittled-down payment that jeopardizes access to care," adding that states "should ensure that and be held accountable when they don't." It concludes, "Medicaid recipients and the doctors who treat them -- those most affected by cuts -- deserve to have their day in court to keep the system honest."

• "Medicaid Patient Access at Stake in High Court Case" (American Medical News, 10/31).