California company will join two other private firms in managing Iowa Medicaid – Radio Iowa

State officers have chosen a California-based firm to hitch two different personal corporations that handle Iowa Medicaid, the joint state-and-federal program that presently gives well being care providers to about 800,000 disabled and low revenue Iowans.

State Medicaid director Elizabeth Matney says Molina Healthcare’s contract will begin July 1, 2023.

“They’re truly totally centered on authorities packages, in order that they solely cowl Medicare, Medicaid and the ACA market plans,” Matney says. “Really 80 p.c of all of their lined lives are Medicaid, so they’re extremely specialised within the Medicaid area.”

The state is extending its present Medicaid contract with AmeriGroup. Iowa TotalCare’s contract for managing take care of Iowa Medicaid sufferers runs via 2025. Matney says the aim is to divide Iowa’s Medicaid members evenly among the many three managed care corporations.

“We wish to take into account member alternative up entrance and never create a scenario the place members have to change forwards and backwards, so we’re pondering via a few of these logistics, “Matney says, “however actually, finally, the aim is to have equal distribution throughout the three managed care organizations.”

Hospitals and different different well being care suppliers within the state have complained that Medicaid claims should not at all times being paid on time. Matney says no system is ideal, however the contract with Molina units clear deadlines.

“We’ll even be actually strenuously monitoring their claims fee as soon as they do go stay to ensure they’re
assembly timelineness requirements,” Matney says, “they’re assembly accuracy requirements.”

Republican Governor Terry Branstad oversaw the shift to non-public administration of the Medicaid program in 2016. State Senator Janet Petersen, a Democrat from Des Moines, says  the contracts guarantee income for out-of-state corporations whereas “well being care providers crumble throughout rural Iowa.”