Iowa can't show the math of Medicaid savings estimate

[cyberswede]

A state agency says it has no documents or even a list of experts consulted to support its claim that a controversial plan to hire private companies to manage its Medicaid program would save taxpayers $51 million during its first six months.

The absence of any public data behind the estimate is significant because the Legislature relied on the projection when it approved the budget for the current fiscal year, which began July 1.

Some lawmakers now say they have doubts about whether the Department of Human Services' estimate is accurate and how Gov. Terry Branstad's administration came up with the number.

“They can’t show the math. It’s a completely bogus, made-up number,” said state Sen. Janet Petersen, a Des Moines Democrat who had previously asked the federal government to halt Iowa’s effort to privatize Medicaid management.

http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/investigations/2015/10/14/iowa-cant-show-math-medicaid-savings-estimate/73922744/

Surprise! The figures used to sell the state on privatizing management of Medicaid, etc, were utterly made up. Fucking Republicans.

[cyberswede]

1. ..oh, and then there's this

Iowa’s plan has also come under scrutiny because several of the companies awarded the state contracts — Amerigroup, WellCare, UnitedHealthCare and AmeriHealth — are facing ongoing lawsuits and more than 1,500 administrative actions taken against them in other states. They have paid hundreds of millions of dollars in fines or settlements to resolve fraud or mismanagement claims.

[exboyfil]

2. Due diligence would dictate that you review

the estimates before you vote on a piece of legislation irrespective of whether you agree with it or not (especially if you are going to vote yes). If not you are just a hack.

[world wide wally]

3. Thai your legislators store for that one

They don't know by now that Republicans make shit up?

[progressoid]

4. The party of fiscal responsibility strikes again.

[47of74]

5. Republicans suck.

You'd think "the party of life" would be really big on making sure people had good health care.

You'd think.

Fucking Republicans.