Letter: Iowa Medicaid program is flawed

Regarding Cynthia Michel's Nov. 21 letter 'Medicaid managed care is working”:

Michel must not be a regular reader of The Gazette. She seems to have missed the multiple stories about people for whom the MCO switch is not working. Some recent examples: The Edbergs, who have a disabled child in a care facility in Dubuque, whose MCO does not cover all the services this child needs; Bryce Williams, who broke his collarbone in a life-threatening way whose MCO denied paying for the level of care that medical professionals felt his case required. Under the MCO system, folks are having difficulty accessing services, medications and necessary medical devices.

The MCOs have, many times, not paid providers in any kind of timely fashion. Many providers do not have deep enough pockets to continue providing services month after month without being paid. Providers are ceasing to operate, which is a large worry for me as a parent of a special needs young man, and is very difficult for those who depend on personal care attendants.

The insurance companies signed contracts to provide services for a specified amount of money and now we learn that Iowans are paying them an additional $33 million. This 'modernization” program was not planned well and is not working out well for Iowa's disabled folks and their families, or for Iowans.

Amy Belice

Cedar Rapids