Ragan Report

Plan may endanger vulnerable Iowans
 
     As you are all well aware, the Department of Human Services has proposed moving nearly the entire Medicaid system to managed care. If Iowa moves forward at the pace proposed by DHS, Iowa will have made the transition faster than any other state.
     When you research managed care, you learn quickly that the first lesson is to be methodical, and to be inclusive of stakeholders and Medicaid members. Iowa Medicaid is, after all, Iowa’s second largest insurance company. This transformation will impact nearly 560,000 Iowans – many of them with significant health issues and disabilities. We’re talking about the largest procurement in state history at about $4.2 billion dollars.
I think a change of this magnitude requires legislative debate and robust oversight. It’s imperative that we ensure that our tax dollars are being used effectively and efficiently, that we are truly moving our healthcare system forward in a way that rewards a slowing of healthcare costs while improving healthcare outcomes, and we must ensure that vulnerable Iowans do not “fall through the cracks” either as a result of the transition to managed care or ongoing policies that try to save money by limiting access to services.
     SF 452 creates a Legislative Medicaid Transformation and Oversight Commission that will monitor the transition to managed care and make recommendations for improvement. The focus of the Commission’s work will be defining and monitoring outcomes, reviewing DHS’ contract oversight, and ensuring that members are able to access appropriate, high quality healthcare services. Secondly, the bill outlines conditions that must be included in any managed care contracts.
 
• Additional information
     This is a legislative column by Sen. Amanda Ragan, representing Franklin, Butler and Cerro Gordo counties. For newsletters, photos and further information, go to www.senate.iowa.gov/senator/ragan.
     To contact Sen. Ragan during the week, call the Senate Switchboard at (515) 281-3371. Otherwise she can be reached at home at (641) 424-0874. Email her at amanda.ragan@legis.iowa.gov.
     Sen. Ragan is an Assistant Senate Majority Leader, chair of the Health & Human Services Budget Subcommittee, vice-chair of the Agriculture Committee and vice-chair of the Human Resources Committee. She also serves on the Appropriations, Natural Resources & Environment, Rules & Administration and Veterans Affairs committees.