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.
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“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
- Cut and further delay payments to Iowa health care providers that provide critical services to hundreds of thousands of Iowans.
- Make health care services even less accessible to Medicaid members.
- 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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