Medicaid recipients speak out at Des Moines managed-care meeting

DES MOINES - About 75 Medicaid recipients and family members from around the state woke up before sunrise on Monday morning to load onto chartered buses and head to Des Moines. Their destination - the state Capitol to attend the second Health Policy Oversight Committee meeting.

The committee - made up of Republicans and Democrats in both the Iowa House and Senate - spent the day talking with Iowa Department of Human Services officials and representatives from the four private companies chosen to manage the health care for the state's 560,000 Medicaid recipients starting Jan. 1.

The Medicaid enrollees and their caregivers - from Cedar Rapids, Iowa City and Sioux City - had one goal, to advocate for the slowing of the state's plan to privatize its $5 billion Medicaid program.

'We're showing up so they can see the faces of the people this decision is affecting,” said Cindy Smothers of Cedar Rapids. Smothers's adult son, Tyler, has an intellectual disability and she's worried for the future of his care.

'Since having Tyler, (advocating) is something we learned to do,” she said. 'But my heart goes out to individuals who have no one to advocate for them.”

The group - along with other advocates and representatives from the state and managed-care organizations - filled the committee meeting room, spilling into the rotunda. The protesters carried signs, watched, cheered and jeered the meeting on a large screen.

'We have to emphasize that there is a need for a delay,” said Karen Muters, 72, of Cedar Rapids, She and her husband have 10 children - three biological and seven adopted - most of whom rely on Medicaid. They have a large number of doctors, psychiatrists and specialists, she said.

Muters is frustrated because her children's packets did not arrive until Dec. 3, and although the state said families would be assigned to a single managed-care organization, all four companies were represented among her children.

A handful of individuals who rode to Des Moines this morning were able to speak during the public-comment portion of the committee meeting - which spanned about two hours and included 36 presentations, both pro and con.

'I'm here to speak for the 75 members who traveled here today as a group who have serious concerns,” said Rhonda Shouse, the group's organizer. 'Gov. (Terry) Branstad has dismissed us - saying we're afraid of change. It isn't change we're afraid of but the lack of answers.”

Some people speaking Monday stated that Medicaid patients in their family have not yet received their enrollment packets.

Also at the meeting were many people speaking in favor of managed care, including Medicaid members from other states as well as case managers who will be working in Iowa.

Moise Brutus, a WellCare of Florida member, lost three limbs in a motorcycle accident when he was 20 years old. He was part of the Medicaid system as Florida transitioned to managed care.

'I had the same worries when I got that letter,” he told legislators, referring to no longer being able to see his doctors. 'But for me, anything I needed, WellCare could come to an agreement with my doctors so I can continue to get that care.”

WellCare has helped him get the necessary prosthetics and rehabilitation services as well as psychiatric care to help with depression.

In an earlier interview with The Gazette, Brutus said that change certainly is difficult but urged Medicaid enrollees to make the best of what they are being offered.

'If you have to go to several primary care doctors to find the right one, do that, and everything else will fall into place,” he said. 'Not just with WellCare but the other insurers, too. That alone is the best thing about managed care - the options.”

Patients were selected automatically for one of the four managed-care organizations. They have until Dec. 17 to change to another organization. After that, they have another 90 days to switch for any reason.

After the meeting, Shouse said she was disappointed the state legislators voted along party lines regarding whether to recommend a delay to the federal officials who still must approve the plan.

'Partisan as partisan can be,” she said.