March 2026 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP

The Medicaid and CHIP Payment and Access Commission (MACPAC) has released its March 2026 Report to Congress on Medicaid and CHIP. The report contains a chapter that makes a recommendation to support the home and community-based services (HCBS) workforce by requiring states to report hourly wages paid to HCBS workers, with the goal of assisting states in setting effective HCBS payment rates.

Workforce shortages reduce Medicaid’s ability to serve people with long-term care needs in the home or community. Many states are exploring ways to use Medicaid rate setting to expand the HCBS workforce and reduce worker turnover. Under this recommendation, states would gain access to more robust wage data, including comparison data from neighboring states, as a way to promote the HCBS workforce.