Letter: Medicaid is not working for Iowans

As a recent Gazette article about Medicaid privatization noted, a survey of over 400 hospitals, clinics, medical supply companies and providers showed 80 percent are not paid on-time ('Survey: Billing issues plague Iowa providers of Medicaid,” July 26). When they are paid, it is at a rate much below the contracted amount. Due to this, medical entities in rural areas are taking out loans, working unpaid hours and being forced out of business. What The Gazette article did not mention was the remainder of the survey results. Forty-six percent of providers plan to reduce services to Medicaid patients. Sixty-one percent find privatization has reduced the quality of service they can provide. Medicaid patients are once again the losers. What sort of governor does this to his own constituents?

Mary Kemen

Cedar Rapids