opinion

State should continue oversight of all Medicaid recipients

A Sept. 14 Register article reports that the state might resume direct oversight of care for people with serious disabilities because of complaints, which caused a federal lawsuit against the state [State may resume some care]. Iowa Department of Human Services Director Jerry Foxhoven says, "Negotiations have included whether some Iowa Medicaid recipients should be withdrawn from the private companies caseload and put back under direct state oversight."

Is this not crazy? Why would we not continue with state oversight over all Medicaid recipients? State oversight keeps the fox from destroying the hen house, and is that not what those private Medicaid-management companies are. These MCOs are the fox after the eggs (state of Iowa dollars), which they promise to get by downgrading services and jobs.

— Lorraine Riseley, Des Moines