Bryan pressed Medicaid funding and disaster recovery issues during Washington meetings

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. met in Washington on October 29, 2019, with Delegate to Congress Stacey Plaskett and federal officials to discuss Medicaid funding and disaster recovery aid for the U.S. Virgin Islands, according to Government House.

Bryan and Plaskett discussed legislation aimed at avoiding a Medicaid funding shortfall and possible expansion of Plaskett’s special visa waiver proposal. Government House said the Territories Health Care Improvement Act would provide the territory with a 100% federal medical assistance percentage, or FMAP, for fiscal year 2020, followed by 83% for fiscal years 2021 through 2024 and 76% for fiscal year 2025.

Bryan also met with Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan and pressed for the territory to receive a 100% FMAP beyond the November 21, 2019, deadline.

In meetings with Housing and Urban Development officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary David Woll Jr., Bryan discussed disaster recovery projects funded through the Community Development Block Grant-Disaster Recovery program. Government House said Bryan asked HUD to complete the grant agreement for the territory’s second CDBG-DR tranche.

The administration said the second tranche totaled $779 million and remained unavailable pending completion of the grant agreement, although HUD had approved the territory’s action plan in March 2019. Bryan cited a $90 million Water and Power Authority project for four generating units that was to be funded equally from the first and second tranches.

Government House also said Bryan met on October 29, 2019, with Interior Secretary David Bernhardt, Assistant Secretary Doug Domenech and House Majority Whip James Clyburn.

Official source: https://www.vi.gov/disaster-recovery-medicaid-funding-among-governor-bryans-priorities-during-washington-visit/