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Patris's avatar

How can we not be reminded of those turn of (the last) century newspaper cartoons of bloated millionaires eating the poor.

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sumitra's avatar

This is the same story for Medicaid as well. In fact it is even worse given the amount of money given to non profit entities and extensive number of government agencies that feed off of Medicaid, especially in the State of Ca.the largest Medicaid "recipient" in the country.

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sumitra's avatar

I should add, just as traditional, original Fee for Service (FFS) Medicare was/is usurped into "managed care"(ie Medicare Advantage)entities, original FFS Medicaid was also pushed into "managed care". Managed care is the process that takes all the public money via upfront capitation payments leaving the most vulnerable without care where the supposed health care plans, contractors, government agencies and myriad of non profit quangos get to keep all that money whether they help anyone or not. And in the case of managed "care" Medicaid it's usually the "not". It's quite a scheme.

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Dr. Fake Smile's avatar

Thank you for this post, and thank you Sumitra for reminding us that it’s Medicaid too.

We need to get the word out more broadly about the Managed Medicaid plans and how they benefit the INSCOs similar to Medicare Advantage- over billing the US government, and under delivering on care.

Since it looks like they will indeed cut the Medicaid budget, we need to be loud and targeted in our advocacy that the “cuts” should go to these corporations, and not to patients’ coverage amounts or stricter enrollment requirements.

I can’t believe we are having to do this. Lina Khan was on a roll to rein in vertically structured monopolies and other INSCO antitrust violations, and now look.

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sumitra's avatar

Yes, the movement should be opposing ALL Managed "care" as that is the underlying problem with all the public programs. But again, it is important to understand that it is not just the forprofit corporations that are fleecing Medicaid via managed "care", it is also the nonprofit industry. Privatization happens with both the forprofit and nonprofit entities especially in the most populace state of CA. In fact, the misappropriation and abuse of funding is worse with the nonprofit entities and bloated government agencies in CA than the forprofit corporations. Please see more of my detailed comments about this from another Health Care Uncovered substack post: https://healthcareuncovered.substack.com/p/a-health-insurance-scandal-unfolds?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=255152&post_id=160347805&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=3j420&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

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Frank Lobb's avatar

Medicare Advantage is the very same insurance one gets from an employer, because the plans operate off the same in-network Provider Agreements. Consequently, unlike true Medicare, Medicare Advantage Plans can deny both care and coverage whenever they choose. Which they do as enrollees age and need more expensive care. - - - Please Mr. Potter, help people understand the well hidden terms of the insurance industry's SECRET in-network Provider Contracts.

Yes, they are ripping off the tax payer, but they are denying the very care and coverage the elderly are OWED. - - - Frank Lobb @ <www.killAbill.com>

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Susananda's avatar

Let’s keep speaking UP for Universal Healthcare, single payer and expanding & improved Medicare For ALL as Republicans are in delete mode.

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Donna's avatar

You can’t get the basic care cause the game begins as soon as u sign the dotted line. Sure u can get preventative care but when u need comprehensive care it will be denied denied denied

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