As Iowa Prepares For Medicaid Shift, A View Of Kansas’ Experience Highlights Obstacles
An Iowa television station reports that advocates in Kansas say a move to managed care for the Medicaid system brought problems in oversight, confusing reimbursement requirements and cuts to care. Also in Medicaid news, a look at the Medicaid and health care issues before the Minnesota legislature and expectations about North Carolina's plans to revamp Medicaid.
KCRG (Cedar Rapids, Iowa):
Problems With Medicaid Privatization Plague Other States Ahead of Iowa's Switch
Three years after privatizing its Medicaid system, lawmakers, disability advocates, and providers across the state of Kansas cite several problems with the system. Those problems include a lack of meaningful oversight, confusing reimbursement requirements from the three managed care organizations, or MCOs, who are contracted with the state, and cuts to care. The privatization of Medicaid in Kansas is similar to the system that will roll out for nearly 600,000 Iowans on April 1. (McCarthy, 2/29)
Twin Cities (Minn.) Pioneer Press:
Lawmakers To Tackle Medicaid Eligibility, Liens
MNsure isn’t the only health care topic up for debate this legislative session. Other issues likely to command attention include Minnesota’s public health programs, Medicaid and MinnesotaCare. A recent audit found those programs did a poor job making sure everyone enrolled in those programs was actually eligible to do so — and predicted the cost to taxpayers of this oversight exceeded $100 million per year. (Montgomery, 2/29)
The Associated Press:
Details To Finish North Carolina Medicaid Overhaul Expected
The legislature directed North Carolina Medicaid leaders to come up with the details needed to complete how the government health care program treats patients and pays for services. Now, they've got particulars to share. Top Department of Health and Human Services officials were expected to tell an oversight committee Tuesday about their pathway to complete Medicaid's overhaul in the next few years. (3/1)
