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Change Difficult for Medicaid Managed Care

Change Difficult for Medicaid Managed Care

Photo: WNAX


An overflow crowd of concerned Iowans pleaded with legislators to establish a new state panel to police the three private companies that will begin managing care for Iowa Medicaid patients April 1st.
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Anna Whittle has a sister, a niece and a granddaughter who receive health care coverage through Iowa’s Medicaid program….
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Daniel Britt is an administrator at Northern Iowa Therapy, a Waverly-based firm that serves Medicaid patients…
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Federal officials this week gave the go-ahead for switching Iowa’s 560-thousand Medicaid patients into private managed care plans, starting April 1st. Governor Terry Branstad originally planned to make the switch on January 1st. A bill pending in the Democratically-led Iowa Senate would set up a new state “working group” to oversee the three companies hired to manage care for Iowa Medicaid patients. The top Republican in the legislature has said existing oversight is sufficient.
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