Monday, May 18, 2015

Walker pushes Rationing to save Medicaid money at Federal Community Health Centers

Regulating and downsizing federal programs is the best way to get out the vote and to stir up the GOP based. As long as there's a Democrat in the White House, state restrictions are dead on arrival.

So I can only assume state republicans are hoping their voters won’t notice Scott Walker's attempt to ration health care. Yes, the party that whines about rationing now wants to ration health care. Rationing is used to argue against the Affordable Care Act.

Republican rationing, under the guise of “efficiency” and reducing the number of costly patients having access, may actually slip by the usually distracted conservative Wisconsin voter watching Fox News and listening to talk radio.

This is rationing, plain and simple. Conservative voters are being duped again by their own party. You know you're rationing when you cut health center reimbursements, putting them in jeopardy:  
WPR: Federal community health centers that provide care to under-served groups in the state would see a change in Medicaid reimbursement under the governor’s budget. The centers are currently fully reimbursed for the cost to provide patient services under Medicaid. However, Wisconsin Department of Health Services Spokeswoman Stephanie Smiley said … "the current system isn't an efficient or economic way to provide care…to achieve positive health care outcomes..." said Smiley, noting that full reimbursements would incentivize providers to see more patients.
Huh? Full reimbursements would result in more patients? Just as crazy, we don't want to see every patients that needs medical care?

Just guessing, but maybe reducing preventive care will result in more costly medical attention later? See, ObamaCare is bad:
Lisa Olson, the association's policy director (for) the Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association representing 17 community health centers, said the savings are artificial … "They don’t take into effect the additional cost of providing care in the last 15 years as health centers have added services in response to community need," said Olson.
Republicans are trying to ration health care, not the Democrats. Rep. Dianne Hesselbein wrote this in her latest press release:
On rural health, Walker has praised Wisconsin’s programs to audiences in Iowa, but in his budget he eliminates the Rural Physician Residency Assistance Program and deletes loan forgiveness programs for medics who agree to work in rural areas. He also cuts $25 million in Medicaid payments to most of the state’s 17 vital community health centers. 
Note: Republicans want to "block grant" Medicaid money so the federal strings (regulations) are cut forever, allowing states to make care almost impossible to get without drug tests, work requirements, reduced lifetime limits, and whatever hoop they can come up with next. 

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