Medicaid Advocacy Tools and Information

As RCPA continues to advocate for protecting Medicaid from devastating cuts at the federal level, we wanted to provide you with some resources, including a Pennsylvania-specific letter that you can easily tailor as you see fit to your Congressional House member. The letter details how important Medicaid is to your community, not only in terms of those you treat, but also for the economic health of those you employ and the broader community in which they live. The letter also requests a one-on-one meeting between the legislator’s office and you, to allow you to further discuss the importance of protecting Medicaid. If you do choose to ask for a meeting through this letter or otherwise, RCPA is happy to assist you in preparing for the meeting based on our experience and the experience of other providers that have already met with their Congressional representatives on this issue.

Although it is important for all legislators to hear from our health and human services providers, it is especially important that we reach Pennsylvania’s US House Republicans, given that the budget resolution adopted by the House directs the House Energy and Commerce Committee to find at least $880 billion in spending cuts over the next 10 years. Many worry this will require deep cuts to Medicaid. In particular, given their committee assignments or stated positions on Medicaid, there are six key US representatives who need to hear from us. They are:

US Rep. John Joyce (PA-13) (Vice Chairman, Energy and Commerce Committee)
US Rep. Lloyd Smucker (PA-11) (Appropriations Committee)
US Rep. Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) (Ways and Means Committee)
US Rep. Mike Kelly (PA-16) (Ways and Means Committee)
US Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1) (Ways and Means Committee)
US Rep. Rob Bresnahan (PA-8)

To assist with your outreach and to help tailor the letter provided above, we have provided additional resources below:

A website through which you can find your US representative;
The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Data Dashboards and Reports web page, where you can easily find Congressional district-specific Medicaid data, including Medicaid enrollment for each district;
Email addresses for the chiefs of staff and other key staffers for each of the 17 US House representatives in Pennsylvania; and
A report from the Paragon Health Institute that argues that expanding public health insurance has minimal impact on health outcomes and recommends focusing on healthy behaviors and medical innovation for more effective improvements. While we disagree with that assertion, some legislators have used the points made in the report to support their argument for cutting Medicaid. Knowing what the report says can help you prepare for conversations in which these arguments might be made.

We encourage you to use these resources in reaching out to your Congressional representatives. RCPA is happy to help in any way we can.

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ODP Updates the MAAC on Paid Relative Caregiving & Travel Limitations

By Tim Sohosky • May 29, 2026

On Thursday, May 28, the Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) provided an update to the Medical Assistance Advisory Committee (MAAC) regarding current policies and upcoming regulatory changes following a recent Commonwealth Court decision. On February 17, 2026, the PA Commonwealth Court issued a decision in Dunkelberger v. Department of Human Services that determined that ODP’s limitations on provider model services (specifically the 40/60-hour caps and 90-day travel maximums) were null and void. The decision was based on process rather than policy validity; the Court found that these limitations were not properly promulgated as regulations in accordance with the Commonwealth Documents Law and Regulatory Review Act. To maintain a balanced approach between flexibility and oversight, ODP is moving forward with the following actions: Regulatory Amendments: ODP will amend regulations to establish formal authority for setting service delivery limits that support individual welfare and program integrity. Self-Directed Model Agreements: ODP has already modified agreements for self-directed models to clarify limits on overtime, combined relative service provision, and travel restrictions. Travel Restrictions: Due to the inability to monitor services effectively over long distances, service provision will now be limited to Pennsylvania and contiguous states. Waiver Changes: ODP will seek modifications through the amendment process to the Consolidated, P/FDS, Community Living, and Adult Autism Waivers to include: New requirements for agencies providing IHCS and Companion services to disclose a DSP's relationship to participants; and Strengthened programmatic oversight and integrity measures. Life Sharing Alternative: For participants requiring more than 60 hours of paid care from a relative, the Life Sharing (24/7) service model remains the recommended alternative. ODP anticipates a public comment period for these proposed waiver changes beginning in January 2027.

Two men with intellectual disabilities working happily on a tablet.

Shapiro Administration's Strategic Investments in ID/A Community Lead to Highest Number of Pennsylvanians Ever Served in HCBS

By Tim Sohosky • May 28, 2026

Press Release from DHS : Published May 27, 2026

ODP Provides Updates to PBC 2026/27 Residential Pay-for-Performance

By Cathy Barrick • May 28, 2026

The Office of Developmental Programs (ODP) has shared ODPANN 26-039 . The purpose of this communication is to provide updated details about the Residential Performance-Based Contracting (PBC) Pay-for-Performance (P4P) initiatives for Fiscal Year 2026/27. Updates are provided in red . Please review the announcement for more details. Visit here to access the Pay for Performance (P4P): Residential Rural Capacity Expansion Plan template .