Without Congressional Action, Puerto Rico Faces Severe Medicaid Funding Cuts
“For decades, the federal government has failed to provide Puerto Rico adequate Medicaid funding, leaving the territory unable to cover many low-income residents, deliver comprehensive benefits, and plan for future emergencies, all while exacerbating a mounting physician shortage. In recent years, Congress has authorized temporary increases in Medicaid funding to address funding and systemic deficiencies and, in some cases, respond to disasters and emergencies—but these bumps are often insufficient and inconsistent, making it difficult for the territory to build sustainable health care system capacity.”