A 2024 Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) final rule required state Medicaid agencies to establish Beneficiary Advisory Councils (BACs) by July 2025. These councils — composed of current and former Medicaid members, their families, and caregivers — are designed to elevate member roles and perspectives in shaping Medicaid policy and program implementation. BACs offer a meaningful way to strengthen policy making and improve Medicaid member experience by engaging member feedback to identify unmet needs, inform program design, improve services, and highlight what is working and what is not.¹

As of December 2025, according to our collaborative partner the Rare Disease Legislative Advocates (RDLA), several states have open applications for their Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Councils, which provide patients with a voice in shaping Medicaid policy and program operations. State Medicaid leaders are especially encouraging applications from rural residents, working-aged adults, and men. While several states have ongoing and open enrollment, the states below have newly announced applications or have upcoming application deadlines.  

Now Open:

• Connecticut is now accepting applications with no deadline indicated.
• Florida is now accepting applications.
• New York is now accepting applications.
• North Carolina is now accepting application
• Maryland is accepting applications via email with no specific deadline. For more information, please email mdh.mmacbac@maryland.gov
• Montana is accepting applications with no specific deadline.
• Ohio is accepting applications with no deadline.
• Washington is accepting applications by email at ahcommunicatios@hca.wa.gov. Include your name, client ID, contact information, and your preferred time to be contacted in the email.

You can learn more about BACs on the RDLA's Patient Engagement page on their website.

To find your state's Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Council, you can follow these steps:

• Check your state's Medicaid website for information on the Beneficiary Advisory Council.
• Look for announcements or updates from your state's Medicaid agency regarding the establishment or recruitment of the BAC.
• Contact your state's Medicaid agency directly for specific information about the BAC.

1  Ellen Schultz, Ellen Schultz Consulting and Shilpa Patel, Center for Health Care Strategies, Medicaid Beneficiary Advisory Councils: A Guide to Evaluating Process and Impact, https://www.chcs.org/resource/medicaid-beneficiary-advisory-councils-a-guide-to-evaluating-process-and-impact/