MAC and BAC Updates
In April 2024, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) finalized the Ensuring Access to Medicaid Services Final Rule which introduced significant changes to Medicaid advisory structures. These updates aim to enhance access, quality, and equity across Medicaid services and to amplify members' voices.
One key change replaces the Medical Care Advisory Committee (MCAC) with the new Medicaid Advisory Committee (MAC). The MAC expands its advisory role beyond health and medical care to address a broader range of topics, including service access and quality, eligibility and enrollment, health equity, program communications, and other factors influencing Medicaid outcomes.
Additionally, the final rule requires states to establish a Beneficiary Advisory Council (BAC) by July 2025. This council, composed exclusively of Medicaid enrollees and their families or caregivers, will identify critical issues to present to the MAC and provide direct feedback to help influence Medicaid policy and administration.
Efforts to transition from the MCAC to the MAC and to establish the BAC began in summer 2024, with ongoing work to develop member selection processes and administrative protocols. The MAC and BAC are required to publish a single annual report outlining their activities and recommendations, with the first report due by July 2026.