NorthIowaToday.com

Founded in 2010

News & Entertainment for Mason City, Clear Lake & the Entire North Iowa Region

Branstad: Managed care means better care for Medicaid patients 

Iowa Governor Terry Branstad
Iowa Governor Terry Branstad

DES MOINES – This week, Gov. Terry E. Branstad announced that Iowa’s Medicaid Modernization plan will improve quality and access for Medicaid patients.

According to the Governor’s office:

Iowa is following the lead of 39 other states and Washington, D.C. in implementing a Medicaid managed care program.  Old Medicaid does not incentivize outcomes.  Through managed care, Iowans’ health care delivery will improve by offering preventive services above and beyond what currently is available, through reducing emergency room visits, hospitalizations and surgeries, and eliminating unnecessary or duplicative services.

On Tuesday, Robert Damler, a consulting actuary with Milliman, Inc. testified before the Health and Human Services Appropriations Subcommittee.  Mr. Damler’s Medicaid actuarial experience extends nearly three decades and he has worked with state Medicaid programs in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Ohio, and South Carolina.

“States move to Medicaid managed care to improve quality and access for patients,” Mr. Robert Damler said on Tuesday.  “Beneficiaries have traditionally been better served by managed care. In New York, Medicaid performance results matched or exceeded commercial results.  Medicaid managed care gave better access to primary care, prescription drugs and disability services as rated by California Medicaid patients.  National quality assurance data shows that since 2010, managed care has doubled the number of body mass index assessments for adults. National data indicates that managed care has provided better health care delivery for Medicaid patients.”

Robert M. Damler has been an actuary with Milliman, Inc. since 1987. Mr. Damler is a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and fellow with the Society of Actuaries. Mr. Damler’s esteemed career includes having served as Chair for the American Academy of Actuaries Medicaid Rate Setting and Certification Task Force (2013-2015). A full resume can be found here.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

5 Comments
Newest
Oldest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments

Even more news:

Watercooler
Copyright 2024 – Internet Marketing Pros. of Iowa, Inc.
5
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x