State not ready to privatize Medicaid

To the editor:

I was happy to read the Dec. 18 article 'Feds delay Iowa's Medicaid transition.” The state is not ready for this to happen.

On Dec. 17, we were supposed to pick one of the four private care companies to deliver benefits. We have not received 'the packet” that we are to use to make our informed decision of which company to choose. Many others have not received 'packets” either. The state has not been able to sign all of the providers that must be used to deliver benefits. The governor has said he would save $50 million in the first 6 months. Clearly, he expected to do this by dropping reimbursements to providers and cutting benefits to Medicaid recipients.

Sometimes we do need the federal government to watch over the states.

Dale Muller

Cedar Rapids