Washington, D.C. – Congressman Dave Loebsack today called on President Obama and his administration to deny Iowa’s request to transition to a privately managed Medicaid system if the state remains unprepared for the switch. Late last year, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) postponed the state of Iowa’s intended date of January 1, 2016 to move to privatized management of Medicaid for 60 days. In a letter to the President, Loebsack outlined some of the concerns he has heard directly from Iowans that the state is still facing in light of the new deadline approaching. Loebsack has been leading the fight with leaders from the Iowa Senate to ensure all 560,000 Iowans who rely on Medicaid are not negatively affected by the proposed transition.
“I write today regarding the State of Iowa’s plans to transition their Medicaid program to a privatized managed care system. [A]s we near the new deadline I wish to draw your attention to the ongoing problems the state is facing,” Loebsack wrote. “I have spoken personally to many Iowans who would be impacted by this change, including the parents of children with disabilities. Each day, these parents are scared that their children will not be able to access the life sustaining therapies they need once the transition is made. I urge you and your administration to carefully consider the consequences of this transition. Should you determine that the Iowa Department of Human Services is not prepared to provide an adequate level of care under the proposed new system, I urge you to deny their waiver request.”
