Legislators to hear concerns over Medicaid

Medicaid beneficiaries and medical providers have a chance to talk with state legislators today about their concerns and questions regarding Iowa's Medicaid modernization plan.

The state will transition its $4.2 billion Medicaid program that has almost 600,000 enrollees into a privately managed care system starting Jan. 1. State officials have said the move could save a projected $51.3 million in the first six months.

State Sen. Liz Mathis, D-Robins, as well as state Reps. Art Staed, D-Cedar Rapids; Kirsten Running-Marquardt, D-Cedar Rapids; and a state Department of Human Services representative will provide additional information about the transition and answer questions at 4:15 p.m. Monday night at the Marion Public Library.

'We're also using this for fact finding, too,” Mathis said, explaining that legislators are holding similar events around the state as there is a concern the change could cut Medicaid enrollees' services.

The four managed care companies - Amerigroup Iowa, AmeriHealth Caritas Iowa, UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley and WellCare of Iowa - signed contracts with the DHS on Oct. 9.

Iowans enrolled in Medicaid have started to receive informational packets, Mathis said, while providers are likely to begin reimbursement negotiations with the companies shortly.

'There's a fear of the unknown,” she said.

DHS has hired Wisconsin-based Navigent Consulting to help the companies and state through the transition, Mathis said, setting up benchmarks to reach along the way. However, she is concerned with the short turnaround time in which the transition is supposed to take place, adding that a similar shift in Kansas was a 'disaster,” while states where it went well had up to 18 months to complete it.

The short time frame 'is not good for patients, and it's not good for the (managed care companies),” she said.

If You Go

' What: Medicaid modernization meeting

' When: 4:15 to 6 p.m. Monday night

' Where: Marion Public Library, 1095 Sixth Ave., Marion