Colorado hospitals accuse Polis administration of hurting Medicaid patients, as health fight grows

Colorado hospitals accuse Polis administration of hurting Medicaid patients, as health fight grows nastier


Executives at Colorado’s largest hospital systems on Thursday sent a blistering letter to Gov. Jared Polis and the leaders of the state Medicaid agency, saying they fear the state has “lost its focus on uninsured and Medicaid patients.”

The executives accused the state Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, which administers Medicaid in Colorado, of creating cumbersome pre-approval processes and delays for Medicaid patients to receive care, of antiquated records-management practices, of denying patients needed care and of shorting hospitals more than $30 million on drug costs.

They also said new Colorado Medicaid policies have made it more difficult for patients to remain enrolled in the program.

“Overall, it has become increasingly difficult to continue to protect Medicaid patients from the challenges imposed by HCPF,” the executives wrote in their letter. “The actions, and inaction, by HCPF is directly putting the health, safety and security of patients at risk.”

Read more: https://coloradosun.com/2019/11/22/hospitals-letter-polis-medicaid/