Texas Patients, Families Detail Experiences With How Managed Care Companies Failed Them
Texas state lawmakers called a hearing about the companies after an investigation found that the MCOs failed to provide care for vulnerable Texans. Medicaid news comes out of Kentucky, Missouri and Iowa, as well.
Texas Tribune:
House Committees Hear Concerns On Managed Care Program, Medically Vulnerable Texans
Linda Badawo says she doesn’t know if managed care works or not — but it hasn’t worked for her family. Sitting with her son D'ashon beside her in his wheelchair, Badawo told legislators during a joint hearing of the House General Investigating & Ethics Committee and a subcommittee of House Appropriations on Wednesday about how the managed care organization charged with caring for him failed. (Evans, 6/27)
CNN:
Kentucky's Sweeping Medicaid Work Requirement Experiment About To Begin
Republicans say that Medicaid recipients will become healthier and more financially independent if they work. Kentucky is about to find out if that's true. The Bluegrass State is about to launch a sweeping overhaul of its Medicaid program, taking advantage of new powers granted by the Trump administration that allows states to require many recipients to work or lose their benefits. (Luhby, 6/28)
Kansas City Star:
Missouri Hospitals Oppose MO HealthNet Medicaid Rate Cuts
Truman Medical Center officials say a proposed cut to certain Missouri Medicaid reimbursements would be disastrous for their bottom line. The proposed rule would cut reimbursements to hospitals that don't participate in the state's three privatized managed care plans. (Marso, 6/27)
Des Moines Register:
Iowa Medicaid Chief Explains How Privatization Savings Figure Tripled
State experts simplified how they calculated savings under Iowa's private Medicaid management, tripling the savings estimates, Medicaid Director Mike Randol said Tuesday. The official savings estimates for the current budget year dropped 80 percent last fall, from $232 million to $47 million. Then, after Randol was hired as the program’s director, the estimate jumped to $140.9 million in May. (Leys, 6/26)
