Chet Culver rattles Gov. Branstad’s cage

So a 'concerned citizen” came to Cedar Rapids Tuesday to decry the Branstad administration's effort to privatize Medicaid. He looked sort of familiar.

'Hey everybody,” said former Gov. Chet Culver as he strode into Whipple Auditorium at the Cedar Rapids Public Library, a building his administration helped fund. Culver was ousted in 2010 by Gov. Terry Branstad. 'It's been great to come back to Cedar Rapids and see the rebirth.”

So is this the rebirth of Culver, the candidate? He insists it isn't. Culver said he's been involved in advocacy for the disabled since leaving office, and calls Branstad's drive to hand Medicaid to three private insurers the 'biggest public policy” decision in 50 years. 'As a private citizen, I've decided to stand up and speak out,” Culver said.

Culver spent two hours listening to stories from Medicaid clients, family members and providers confounded by the mechanics, implications and lack of information on Iowa's swift switch from a state-run to a privately run system. Would they keep their doctors and providers? How do they navigate the process? They've made phone calls, sent emails and pleaded to elected leaders. The answers have been inconsistent or nonexistent.

On March 1, unless federal officials step in, managed care becomes a reality.

It was a chance to vent. I doubt anyone who showed up confused left with clarity. The concerned citizen also had few solid answers. But Culver is rattling Branstad's cage.

With the ‘stache besieged, Priorities for Iowa, led by former Branstad spokesman Jimmy Centers, is riding to the rescue. Centers showed up to tape Culver's meeting.

Priorities for Iowa is a super PAC that spent $1.2 million to defeat Bruce Braley in the 2014 U.S. Senate Race. Its donors include Alliance Coal, hedge funds and World Wrestling Entertainment, among others.

(Clarification:

Centers emailed me Thursday afternoon to clarify he is executive director of the Priorities for Iowa 501c4 nonpartisan organization, which he says is separate from the Priorities for Iowa Political Fund 527 super PAC.)

The group contends, as governor, Culver bloated the Medicaid budget and used one-time money to keep it balanced. It fails to mention the program, providing health care to the poor and disabled, expanded amid the Great Recession. That one-time money was federal stimulus intended to shield Medicaid from deep cuts during hard times.

Are Branstad's allies suggesting he would have refused stimulus and slashed health care in an economic crisis?

Medicaid is growing more expensive. A Pew Charitable Trusts analysis released this month shows Medicaid's share of state revenue in Iowa rose from 8.8 percent in 2000 to 12.5 percent in 2013. But that's below the national average of 16.9 percent and ranks 29th.

So why the rush? Because large commercial property tax breaks and backfill to cover lost local revenues are eating up available state revenues. So Branstad needs savings from privatization, and he needs them fast.

Managed care may, in the end, work and save. But clients, families and providers have been put through a wringer by an administration refusing to slow down or acknowledge mistakes. Branstad decries partisan criticism, but if you fail to inform, explain and convince, your critics are going to fill the gaps.

Just ask Culver, whose own administration couldn't explain its mistakes. Its how he became a private citizen.

l Comments: (319) 398-8452; todd.dorman@thegazette.com