Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Iowa Signs Medicaid Contracts With Four National Companies To Manage The Massive Program
Iowa officials announced Friday that they have signed contracts with four national companies to manage the state鈥檚 massive Medicaid program. However, that is not the last step before the companies could take control of the program as planned Jan. 1. ... The contracts were supposed to be signed several weeks ago, but state administrators have said it took a bit longer than expected to work out the details. Critics say the state is moving too quickly to make the change. ... Skeptics fear the switch will lead to cuts in services for the 560,000 poor or disabled Iowans who use the $4.2 billion health care program, which is jointly financed by the state and federal governments. (Leys, 10/9)
Meanwhile, Rep. Raul Grijalva, D-Ariz., urges federal officials to reject Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey's plan to tighten Medicaid eligibility and make other changes as part of an effort to reform the program -
U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva urged the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to reject Gov. Doug Ducey鈥檚 plan to tighten eligibility and impose cost-sharing requirements for able-bodied adults enrolled in Arizona鈥檚 Medicaid program. The Tucson Democrat said in a letter to the federal agency that Arizona鈥檚 public input was 鈥渨oefully insufficient鈥 for a sweeping reform plan that would impose work requirements, co-payments and a five-year eligibility limit on more than 300,000 able-bodied adults. (Alltucker, 10/9)
