Petersen: Medicaid increase is GOP’s ‘gut punch’ to Iowa taxpayers

Statement from Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen on GOP’s ‘gut punch’ to Iowa taxpayers 

“Iowa families, health care providers and taxpayers received a gut punch today because of the mismanagement of privatized Medicaid by Governor Reynolds, Senate Republicans and House Republicans.

Iowa Senate Democratic Leader Janet Petersen

“Taxpayers are being hurt because they must now pay an additional $342.2 million to out-of-state corporations that are running Medicaid and Iowa’s heath care system into the ground.

“In order to balance the state budget, Governor Reynolds and Republican legislators are unfortunately likely to

  1. Cut and further delay payments to Iowa health care providers that provide critical services to hundreds of thousands of Iowans.
  2. Make health care services even less accessible to Medicaid members.
  3. Take more than $100 million away from education, health care and public safety to cover the additional payments to out-of-state corporations.

“The best option would be for Governor Reynolds and legislative Republicans to finally reverse course and join legislative Democrats in supporting a return to a more efficient, publicly managed system.

“We all know for-profit Medicaid has been a disaster for Iowa families and health care providers. Now we know that it is a bigger disaster for the state budget and Iowa taxpayers.”

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