Governor Brownback has rolled out a dramatic reorganization plan for the state’s Medicaid program that will make million’s in profits for private insurers but is being widely criticized by those who serve the disabled. Medicaid is a state and federal insurance program that serves low income children and the disabled. Costs to the program are determined by the number of individuals who are eligible, the services provided, and the reimbursement rate to providers. The Governor proposes to add an additional cost, premiums to private health providers, and promises savings while insisting there will be no cuts in services, that all current services will be offered, and that the reimbursement rate to providers will not be reduced.
Meanwhile the families of the disabled are concerned that more research is needed before moving to a privatized model to deliver Medicaid services to the disabled. Massive changes that could threaten the stability of the system should not be enacted without considerable study to potential negative impacts to the individuals supported within this system. To date this has not been done.
Other concerns of families and providers are:
• There is no evidence that managed care is an effective model for providing quality long-term care services in the DD system.
• Many states have chosen to “carve out” or exclude long-term care supports for persons with significant, lifelong developmental disabilities.
• Very little in savings can be realized from transitioning long-term care DD services to a managed care model.
• Costs to the State in administrating the system through Community Developmental Disability Organizations (CDDO) account for less than 5% of the system’s total resources.
• Assignment of long-term care services to a managed care entity pushes responsibility away from the State onto a private-for-profit entity and ends 150 years of the State’s acknowledgement of direct responsibility to supporting Kansans with disabilities.
One of many questions we continue to ask is, how will the waiting list be funded once MCO’s are managing the system. One of the responses we continue to hear is, the state does not know at this time and are waiting for the potential contractors to respond to this question in the RFP process. This response is concerning to families. They fear they will be at the mercy of for-profit companies to address the waiting list. If in fact it is left to the MCOs to address the waiting list, the additional fear becomes, MCOs responding they need more funds from the state and state responding the MCOs need to address the waiting list resulting in the responsibility being passed back and forth without resolution. Once again, Thank You for your support!
Sherry:
It would appear that the Governor and his folks have not thought through the Developmental Disabilities issue. It is very discouraging that this population has been left to wonder and worry about how this will all play out and if the services they will receive will be adequate and appropriate to the need.
I and many here in Topeka are working on this issue and we are also frustrated with the pace of getting answers to our concerns.
Please try to stay in touch and as information comes forward we will try to address your questions.