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Iowa's privatized Medicaid saving less than predicted
Surprise, surprise
A new report says Iowa's controversial shift to privately managed Medicaid will save the state 80 percent less money this year than originally predicted.
The Des Moines Register reported Saturday that a quarterly report prepared by Iowa Department of Human Services staff members says the state now stands to save $47.1 million this fiscal year by having private companies manage the $4 billion program.
Former Gov. Terry Branstad, who ordered the privatization that began in 2016, had declared the move would save the state $232 million in fiscal year 2018.
The Des Moines Register reported Saturday that a quarterly report prepared by Iowa Department of Human Services staff members says the state now stands to save $47.1 million this fiscal year by having private companies manage the $4 billion program.
Former Gov. Terry Branstad, who ordered the privatization that began in 2016, had declared the move would save the state $232 million in fiscal year 2018.
And of course the Reynolds people blamed this on their staff rather than the fact that this was a fuck up from the get go. Brainfart was in such a hurry to do this for his wealthy sugar daddies that he pulled that number out of his hind parts.
4 replies
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= new reply since forum marked as read
So...they haven't figured out the "methodology" to cook the books yet.
Department of Human Services spokesman Matt Highland said in an email to the Register on Friday that staff members are "working to develop a more comprehensive methodology to calculate managed care savings which looks at all associated costs, such as non-medical costs which include administrative costs, care coordination and quality improvement activities. Once the methodology has been finalized, the department will provide updated numbers and will use this new, comprehensive methodology moving forward."
Highland did not explain why the DHS staff members' estimate of state savings for 2018 was 60 percent lower than their estimate of savings for 2017. The two reports include almost identical descriptions of how the estimates were made.
Randol recently came to Iowa from Kansas, where he was Medicaid director during that state’s controversial shift to managed care. He describes himself as a firm believer in the efficiency of having private companies run the program, which is jointly financed by state and federal governments.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2018/01/05/medicaid-privatization-saving-iowa-80-less-money-than-predicted-state-report-says/1008693001/
Highland did not explain why the DHS staff members' estimate of state savings for 2018 was 60 percent lower than their estimate of savings for 2017. The two reports include almost identical descriptions of how the estimates were made.
Randol recently came to Iowa from Kansas, where he was Medicaid director during that state’s controversial shift to managed care. He describes himself as a firm believer in the efficiency of having private companies run the program, which is jointly financed by state and federal governments.
https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/health/2018/01/05/medicaid-privatization-saving-iowa-80-less-money-than-predicted-state-report-says/1008693001/
