Medicaid Changes Cause Problems

Many states are now changing to managed care when dealing with Medicaid.  Managed care allows states to save money by working with personal insurances to create less expensive HMO plans.  This is causing trouble for people with physical/mental challenges.

Support systems say that the new Medicaid plans don’t cover their trusted doctors.  Because of this, people with physical/ mental challenges and their support systems have to terminate their relationship with their physician.  The doctors covered by the new plans are also less experienced, and some people have difficulty getting appointments.

“But if funding is not available it will become increasingly difficult to find providers — physicians, dentists and hospitals — to accept Medicaid because they don’t get the proper reimbursement. Then it becomes a domino effect. We might be able to find a provider for a patient, but they’re far away. So you have to figure in the cost of transportation, the staff member’s time, etc. It will just get tougher and tougher,” said Dan Keating Vice President of Bancroft school in New Jersey.

Physically/mentally challenged activists are worried about the changes.  They understand the need for cost control.  However, they are concerned about the value of services with managed care.

Controversial Medicaid: http://www.courierpostonline.com/article/20110906/NEWS01/309070015/Medicaid-changes-cause-frustration