2,920 Reasons to Support Managed Care in Arkansas

There is no time like an election year to be overwhelmed and a bit jaded by numbers. Every statistic and statistical interpretation takes on a partisan quality, and it is easy to get lost in casual discussions that affect quality of life for millions of Americans. But not all numbers, and not all issues, are political, even when they occur during an election year. And the health and quality of life of our most vulnerable citizens is surely an issue beyond partisan bickering. 

Right now, 2,920 developmentally disabled Arkansans are waiting in line to exit full-time institutions in favor of at-home care. But despite the fact that this change is what patients and their families want, there is no oversight or mechanism by which these people can receive care in the place where they feel most comfortable. Government-run Medicaid has created a situation in which the most expensive group of Medicaid recipients is forced to get the most expensive care, whether or not it is actually effective. This outdated system is crying out for reform. 

Those Arkansans who are considered “developmentally disabled,” face life-long health problems. Conditions like Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy can render patients unable to work and often require full-time care throughout their lives. These disabilities are the result of genetics, not lifestyle choices. No group of citizens could be more naturally excluded from debate over “entitlements,” yet any public debate over health insurance coverage is loaded with such partisan buzzwords. 

So, is it necessary then to expand Medicaid in order to drop a lifeline to those most in need of medical services? Absolutely not. Managed Care is not about expanding Medicaid. Managed Care is not Obamacare or the Private Option or any other program seeking to expand the scope of Medicaid. Instead, Managed Care is an approach to managing Medicaid in such a way that it is far more efficient. Managed Care means exactly what it says. It is simply a way of reorganizing existing Medicaid to provide a much more accurate, better quality of care to consumers at a better cost to taxpayers. 

Shifting Medicaid risk management to Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) and away from inefficient, government-run Medicaid would create $2.5 billion in revenues for the state of Arkansas over the next five years. These savings mean that every developmentally disabled Arkansans could choose the care they prefer, all while saving the state billions in taxpayer revenue that could be used for schools, roads, and many other vital taxpayer-funded services. Arkansas spends 20 cents of every taxpayer dollar on Medicaid, and the vast majority of these funds is put toward providing coverage for the highest risk groups of recipients.  

Whatever happens this election season, don’t be taken in by the rhetoric. Managed Care is not a Republican or a Democratic issue. Managed Care is an Arkansas concern. Arkansas has an opportunity to move up the ladder, providing better coverage to Medicaid users at a better price for taxpayers. Tax dollars should never be spent lightly, and if better services are readily available at lower cost, the choice should be obvious. It’s time to bring common sense and private sector efficiency to Medicaid. It’s time for Managed Care. 

The Stephen Group Volume II: Recommendations. (2015, October 1). Retrieved February 29, 2016, from http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2015/Meeting Attachments/836/I14099/TSG Volume II Recommendations.pdf