Iowa Democratic State Senators still concerned about Medicaid changes

Democratic State Senators Amanda Ragan and Mary Jo Wilhelm

Iowa State Senators Amanda Ragan of Mason City and Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco says they're getting lots of phone calls from their constituents who are worried about the new Medicaid management system that starts Friday.

Ragan says Medicaid coverage of visits to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester are important because the Mason City area is close to Rochester.  She's worried her constituents will have to start driving to Iowa City or Des Moines to see specialists.

Wilhelm says the number one question she has been asked by her constituents is whether the new system will cover visits to Mayo in Rochester.  Despite a number of calls she has made to Mayo, she says she has never gotten a straight answer about the coverage.

Wilhelm says Medicaid patients often have multiple health issues, which means they're likely to have to visit specialists.  Over the years they have built up relationships with those Mayo specialists, who have also gotten to know their health histories.  "This has been a concern of my constituents," she says.