DC Council Committee on Health FY27 Budget Oversight Hearing for Department of Health Care Finance – April 27, 2026

Councilmember Christina Henderson chaired a budget oversight hearing on April 27, 2026, from 9:34 AM to 1:55 PM, to review the proposed FY27 budget for the Department of Health Care Finance (DHCF). Over 40 public witnesses testified, with the overwhelming majority expressing concern about recent cuts to the DC Healthcare Alliance program and urging the Council to restore eligibility, covered services, and enrollment.

Public Comments & Testimony

• Patricia Quinn (DC Primary Care Association) urged a thoughtful approach to Medicaid work requirements, lifting the moratorium on Alliance adult enrollment, restoring presumptive eligibility, and protecting coverage for childless adults. She noted that preliminary data shows declines in visit volume at health centers.
• Chris Gamble (Children's Law Center) advocated for the carve-in of behavioral health services into managed care, citing data gaps and care coordination challenges. He proposed a phased funding approach starting July 1, 2027.
• Alison Miles-Lee (Bread for the City) shared the story of Pablo, a DACA recipient who lost Alliance coverage and faced a life-threatening medical emergency without insurance. She urged removal of the age moratorium.
• Dr. Omar Tawe (Union of Interns and Residents) described emergency department consequences of coverage loss, stating that uninsured adults are 25% more likely to die prematurely. He urged restoring income eligibility to 215% FPL and removing the age cap.
• Multiple adult learners from Briya Public Charter School (including Sonia Cruz, Araceli Guillén Salinas, Jennifer Lopez, Gustavo Angulo, Mercedes Chami, Myrna Torres, and others) testified in Spanish and English, sharing personal stories of how Alliance coverage enabled them to work, study, and care for families. They unanimously requested removal of the age limit for adults over 21, restoration of income limits to 215% FPL, and restoration of services prior to October 1, 2025.
• Chioma Rue (Advocates for Justice and Education) raised questions about care pathways for adults with disabilities, work requirements for caregivers, and coverage for immigrant families.
• Nancy Bann (Mary Center), Nasima Shafi (Whitman-Walker), Dr. Benjamin Oldfield (Unity Healthcare), and Carlos Plazas (La Clinica del Pueblo) testified on behalf of FQHCs, emphasizing that value-based payment models and health center-led care management can reduce costs. Dr. Oldfield presented data showing that Alliance beneficiaries not connected to FQHCs have substantially higher costs. All urged lifting the enrollment moratorium.
• Joshua Drumming (encampment resident) criticized DMHHS for a 355% increase in encampment removals (from 36 in FY24 to 128 in FY25) and called for suspending clearings, reinvesting in housing vouchers, and due process protections.
• Commissioner Jamila White (ANC 8A) urged action on the Marion Barry–Minnesota Avenue corridor, calling for relocation of the BHG methadone clinic and an integrated public health plan. She noted that the clinic's staff are afraid to come to Ward 8.
• Jackie Bowens (DC Hospital Association) expressed concern about a $48 million reduction in direct medical education funding, which would hit safety-net hospitals hard. She also noted $46 million in outpatient cuts in FY26.
• Andrew Patterson (Legal Aid DC) urged codification of Alliance fixes, including dental/vision restoration, and full funding of the Medicaid buy-in program for people with disabilities.
• Tripty Patel (ANC 2A) objected to encampment clearings without housing plans and supported lifting the cap on the Ashton bridge housing facility.
• Eric Angel (DC Greens) supported the Produce RX program funding and opposed elimination of the Food Policy Council.
• Kathy Hudson (Miriam's Kitchen) proposed a 24-bed medical respite program at the E Street Bridge Housing site, requesting funding from the community priorities pool.
• Sheila Escamilla (Briya PCS) shared stories of families facing $10,000–$15,000 medical bills and urged continued Alliance funding.
• Sophia Belleman Spencer (National Domestic Workers Alliance) noted that the Alliance is the primary health coverage for domestic workers, who are 92% women and 71% immigrants. She called for legislative restoration.
• Rochelle Nieto (Ayuda) described clients harmed by cuts, including a woman who faced a $25,000 bill after a miscarriage and a man denied physical therapy after a leg fracture.
• Kate Coventry (DC Fiscal Policy Institute) highlighted that 50% of Alliance recipients are Hispanic and 20% are Black, and that cuts will disproportionately harm these communities.
• Jacqueline Verner (Disability Rights DC) opposed DHCF's proposed bundled payment structure for long-term care, warning it could lead to reductions in PCA hours. She also urged full funding of the CNA wage enhancement.
• Ed Lazier (UPO) called the FY26–27 cuts the largest retrenchment in the safety net in a generation, affecting child care, TANF, and housing.
• Felicia Nelson (Children's National) opposed the $3.6 million reduction in GME funding, which supports 300+ residents and fellows.
• Mark Lavota (DC Behavioral Health Association) urged elimination of the Alliance enrollment moratorium and reversal of DBH service cuts.
• Ian Paragall (DC Coalition of Disability Service Providers) opposed reducing ICF bed hold days from 60 to 18, which would save only $130,000 but harm vulnerable residents.
• Dr. Dana Mueller (Mary Center) described the impact of generic-only drug coverage on diabetes patients and urged restoration of home health, skilled nursing, and non-emergency transport.
• Maria Gomez (longtime advocate) recalled the Alliance's founding in 2001 and urged the Council to codify restorations in the Budget Support Act.

Discussion Items

• Councilmember Henderson questioned the DC Primary Care Association about conversations with DHCF on payment mechanisms for Alliance care management. Patricia Quinn noted that health centers can contain costs through provider-led care management but need a stable program.
• Henderson asked about the Connected Care Network's contracts with MCOs; Nancy Bann reported that two of four MCOs have not provided adequate data to move forward with value-based arrangements.
• Henderson discussed the Marion Barry corridor with Commissioner White, noting that the methadone clinic is a private entity and that she would follow up with DMHHS to coordinate a task force. She expressed frustration that agencies are not collaborating.
• Henderson clarified that prenatal care is covered under the proposed budget for the full pregnancy and two months postpartum.
• Henderson noted that a Budget Support Act subtitle for the Alliance was inadvertently missing and would be drafted.
• Kathy Hudson detailed the medical respite proposal, requesting funding from the community priorities pool administered by the hospital association.
• Henderson acknowledged the need to address long-term care workforce shortages and aging infrastructure.

Key Outcomes

• Councilmember Henderson committed to including a Budget Support Act subtitle to codify changes to the DC Healthcare Alliance, though specific details were not provided.
• No votes were taken during the hearing; the record will remain open until Monday, May 11, 2026, for written testimony.
• Henderson stated she would follow up with DMHHS regarding the Marion Barry corridor and encampment clearing protocols.
• The hearing was recessed at 1:55 PM, with the next hearing scheduled for April 28, 2026, at noon for the Department of Health budget.