Medicaid service providers in NE Iowa say they're having trouble getting paid in a timely manner

Around 20 service providers attended a Medicaid listening post in West Union Wednesday afternoon sponsored by Iowa City State Senator Joe Bolkcom.

Bolkcom says the new privatized system of running the state's Medicaid program has been particularly difficult for smaller service providers--usually those in rural areas of the state--and some of them have had to lay off staff members.

Bolkcom and other legislative Democrats opposed Iowa Governor Terry Branstad's plan to privatize the state's Medicaid program and while Bolkcom says opposition to the plan is still strong, at this point it's more of a focus on "putting out fires."

Service providers say they have not been getting paid in a timely manner--25 percent of all Medicaid claims filed with the three private companies have had payment denied.  When the providers call with questions, they have not been getting consistent answers, says Bolkcom.  And when the providers call in to one of the three private companies to get authorization ahead of time to provide a service, they are also having problems.

Bolkcom says the Branstad administration tried to do "too much, too fast" and wound up poorly planning for the transition to privatization.

Another State Senator--Mary Jo Wilhelm of Cresco--agrees with Bolkcom.  She says Iowa's Medicaid program "is in a state of emergency."  She says the problems the program is encountering are endangering services to the 560,000 elderly, disabled and low-income Iowans who rely on Medicaid.
 
Wilhelm will be holding hosting a listening session of her own this coming Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. in Charles City in room 108 of the NIACC Charles City Center.