Medicaid Proposals Given Mixed Reviews

Four health-care consumer groups issued a mixed review of proposals developed by the Governor’s Medicaid Reform Advisory Council.

The Idaho Citizen’s Network, Idaho Hunger Action Council, Idaho Women’s Network and Living Independent Network Corp. conducted a panel discussion Monday on the council’s draft recommendations. And while they support proposals to expand long-term and alternative care coverage, they expressed concern about other ideas.

They questioned recommendations to cut dental, vision, audiology and soft-tissue transplants for adults, impose co-payments on medical services and prescription drugs, narrow eligibility requirements and change federal law to allow the placement of liens on recipients’ homes.

“The Medicaid Advisory Council is playing God with the lives of low-income Idaho families,” said Jack Flippance, director of the Idaho Citizen’s Network and vice chairman of the Idaho Hunger Action Council. He called the proposals “shameless.”

Roy Raymond of Twin Falls, chairman of the advisory council, said the lien recommendation was aimed at “addressing that people have a responsibility for their lives and not all of their assets, if they’re on a public program, should be passed on to the next generation.”

Raymond said the proposal was aimed not at the poor, but at people with significant assets who might transfer them into trusts to avoid paying the costs of long-term care.

“I don’t think anybody thinks that’s fair,” he said.

The last two of 35 public hearings on the draft recommendations were scheduled Monday night in Boise and tonight in Nampa. The council meets Oct. 16-18 in Boise to finalize its plan for Gov. Phil Batt.

Mikey Krajcer of the Idaho Citizen’s Network said reforms should focus on “pursuing innovative ways to improve Medicaid and expand its scope and breadth.” Instead, he said, the plan would “make it harder for low-income families, especially pregnant women, to qualify for medical services they desperately need.”