DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Democratic lawmakers are continuing to challenge Iowa health officials on the effectiveness of the state’s newly privatized Medicaid program.
Members of the Senate Human Resources Committee listened to a presentation Tuesday from the Iowa Department of Human Services on newly released performance data on the state’s Medicaid program. The health care program for about 560,000 poor and disabled residents switched to private management on April 1.
Lawmakers in the Democratic-controlled Senate say some information by DHS on performance measures do not reflect the negative experiences of some health providers and patients enrolled in the program. Some affected groups testified Tuesday about problems regarding late payments or care.
DHS officials say they’re working to improve communication with health providers to ensure the program is working effectively for them.
