News

MSDC recently joined its partners in the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) to ask DC Medicaid to cover non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for pregnant Medicaid beneficiaries.

Recently the ACOG Committee on Practice Bulletins - Obstetrics, Committee on Genetics, and representatives from the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) updated the clinical recommendations for Screening for Fetal Chromosomal Abnormalities. These updates emphasized the importance of information to pregnant parents and the widespread need for all pregnancies to have this testing available. 

The letter asked DC Medicaid to cover NIPT for beneficiaries, both the screening and diagnostic tests, regardless of risk factors. In addition, the letter calls for the tests to not be subject to prior authorization. Signatories on the letter included Lisa Satterfield, ACOG's Senior Director of Health Economics & Practice Management; Dr. Sara Imershein, ACOG Legislative Chair (and MSDC member); and MSDC President Dr. EW Emanuel.

In follow-up correspondence, the Department of Health Care Finance shared it is considering the issue.

Read the letter here.