Editorial: Providers' Medicaid nightmare becomes reality

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/opinion/editorials/2016/07/16/editorial-providers-medicaid-nightmare-becomes-reality/87023948/

Who could have imagined when Terry gave his donors a bid g slice of the Medicaid budget they'd fuck it up royally?

Kim Lambert, owner of Carroll Area Nursing Service, said her agency had received no payments from the MCO selected by the vast majority of her clients. She was owed nearly $300,000 and had taken out a loan to cover expenses.

Pat Giorgio, founder of Evergreen Estates in Cedar Rapids, said less than 40 percent of her facility’s claims had been paid. Anticipating there would be problems when the governor's managed care plan went into effect, she set up a $100,000 line of credit with her bank. The money is running out.

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So maybe Branstad's privatization mess will end up reducing spending in Medicaid. It is certainly less expensive to insure people when you don’t pay for their care. And when reimbursement problems cause providers to close or stop treating Medicaid patients, the savings will really start kicking in. Of course, this also devastates vulnerable Iowans and the state's health care system.

Iowans did not support Branstad's push to privatize Medicaid, according to a March Des Moines Register/Mediacom Iowa Poll. The governor dismissed public opposition, disregarded concerns raised by essentially everyone, ignored problems in other states and moved forward with his plan. Now his constituents are paying the price.