FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 1, 2019
DRI Statement on UHC Leaving Iowa’s Privatized Medicaid
(Des Moines, Iowa) – March 29, 2019, UnitedHealthcare notified the Iowa Department of Human Services (DHS) that they would be leaving the private managed care system. For right now, Medicaid long-term services and supports (LTSS) recipients are able to receive their services as usual until June 30, 2019. This change means that some LTSS recipients will soon be on their third Managed Care Organization (MCO) in three years. This level of upheaval and uncertainty has been a trademark of the privatized system since its inception.
In DRI’s experience, a state-run system for Iowans receiving Medicaid LTSS worked better than a private managed care system. We saw a significant increase in cuts to services when managed care started in 2016. Now, people live in fear of more cuts, service providers leaving the system because of lack of adequate and timely payment, and a constant state of change and uncertainty for members. The continual stress of advocating for necessary services and supports is especially exhausting for Iowans with disabilities who are trying to live their best lives. We hope that UnitedHealthcare members will be able to keep their service providers, but the future is unknown as of this moment.
The Future
The Iowa Department of Human Services should be sending out updated enrollment letters soon, since the ones that were recently sent are now obsolete because of the loss of UnitedHealthcare as an MCO. DRI will make sure to stay on top of this developing situation and keep everyone informed via our website and social media.
Managed Care Organizations should be held accountable to performance measures, and we hope that the state of Iowa keeps this as a priority when negotiating with the newest MCO, Iowa Total Care. Medicaid recipients deserve to receive adequate and continuous services from qualified providers without being confronted by cuts and inconsistent care. LTSS recipients deserve to be served by competent managed care providers. Service providers deserve to get paid for the work that they do. The state needs to make these realities the pillars of all future negotiations.
Steps to Take
For now, please refer to DRI’s guide to navigate managed care in Iowa for immediate steps to take. This guide covers how to be your own best advocate when dealing with MCOs and can be found on our website under the Resources > DRI Publications tab. If you receive an individual written notice of service cuts, contact us and we can help with the appeal process, regardless of which MCO is cutting services.
In addition to all of the work that DRI is doing to help individual LTSS recipients, we also want to help boost your voices and opinions on privatized managed care. In order to do that most effectively, we are going to revive our #IAmMedicaidIowa social media campaign. If you would like to participate in this campaign, please send or post pictures of you or a loved one who uses managed care holding a sign with #IAmMedicaidIowa. Along with the photos, please share a story using #IAmMedicaidIowa in the text of the post to amplify the campaign. DRI will share and repost your stories so that they can reach the widest possible audience. Your voices and stories deserve to be heard, MCOs should know the impact that their actions have on real Iowans who need services and supports to live a full, community involved life.
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Disability Rights Iowa aims to defend and promote the human and legal rights of Iowans who have disabilities and mental illness. DRI promotes safety, opportunity, access, and self-determination for all Iowans.
For more information call (515)-278-2502 x 20 or visit: www.driowa.org
