The delivery of service part of the equations rears it's head in a BIG WAY:
Fair Use/etc...
Medicaid System at Risk of Failing in Over Half of States
U.S. Newswire
14 Sep 13:57
Medicaid System at Risk of Failing in Over Half of States
To: National Desk
Contact: Stephanie Meyer of the Center for Y2K and Society,
202-775-3157;
E-mail: smeyer@y2kcenter.org;
Web site: y2kcenter.org
WASHINGTON, Sept. 14 /U.S. Newswire/ -- The following was
released today by the Center for Y2K and Society:
The Medicaid systems in 33 states and the District of Columbia
are presently at considerable risk of failure due to Y2K problems,
according to newly released information by the Health Care Financing
Administration (HCFA).
Medicaid, a joint federal-state government program, pays for the
healthcare of over 34 million Americans at a cost of $160 billion
annually. Medicaid pays for one out of every three births in the
United States, and almost half of all nursing home revenue comes
from Medicaid. Essential healthcare is at risk.
According to HCFA, Medicaid is at high risk of failure in nine
states: Alabama, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North
Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee, and Vermont. More than
two dozen states are at medium risk of failure, including Texas,
Connecticut, New York, Arkansas, Missouri and the District of
Columbia.
What will happen if state Medicaid systems fail to work come
January 2000? Most impacts will appear not on Jan. 1 or 2 but
over the first several months of the year:
-- Some patients will be refused healthcare.
-- Urban public hospitals will be flooded with Medicaid patients
who normally go to other healthcare institutions.
-- Medicaid payments will slow down and cause the failure of
cash poor clinics and nursing homes.
-- The basic care of low-income nursing home residents will
suffer as costs are cut.
-- Fraud will increase dramatically as unscrupulous providers
claim services were provided in 'good faith' to ineligible or
nonexistent patients.
What can be done now, with just over 100 days left in 1999? Our
prescription is centered around state-level and community-level
contingency planning and applies regardless of Y2K readiness. All
states must:
-- Freeze eligibility requirements from now through mid-2000.
-- Issue paper eligibility IDs before the end of the year.
-- Hire and train additional customer service representatives now.
-- Move Medicaid funds to providers in the first quarter of 2000.
"The healthcare of 34 million Americans is at risk," said Norman
Dean, executive director of the Center for Y2K and Society.
"Government must take steps now to ensure Medicaid funds are paid
in early 2000."
For months, the information on state Medicaid readiness had been
withheld, prompting the Center for Y2K and Society to file a
Freedom of Information Act request. The state readiness
information is now available on the HCFA Web site at
hcfa.org.
The Center for Y2K and Society is an activity of the Tides
Center. For more information on healthcare and Y2K, contact
Margaret Anderson at 202-775-3267.
---
Have You Heard?
-- According to the latest statistics available from HCFA, in the
nine states where Medicaid is at high risk of failure, the program
provides health benefits to over 6 million people -- nearly half
of them children.
-- Starting next week, Y2Kountdown will be released on a weekly
basis.
---
Upcoming Events
Sept. 15 -- The Office of Management and Budget is releasing
its 10th quarterly report on the Y2K-readiness of the federal
government. See cio.gov for more information.
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/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
09/14 13:57
Copyright 1999, U.S. Newswire |
