Physicians went over the plans to state officials, and the state pointed back at the plans, that had, they said, after all, bid for the Medicaid business fairly and squarely. The plans then responded that the state expected unrealistic savings and unfairly blamed the plans for large payment shortfalls, which were the state's responsibility, they said. As far as the qualified health plans were concerned, they were the messengers, and they were being shot at from all sides. No amount of administrative wizardry, the plans said, could make up for the cash shortfalls they were experiencing. The solution, they cried, was purely and simply to increase Medicaid program funding.
Physicians can no longer afford to treat patients they've treated for a long time.
And they're placed in a position of explaining to patients that a rather cold bureaucracy is limiting their ability to see them. These problems can be avoided if the state recognizes its responsibility and funds the Medicaid program adequately. If it doesn't, Mercy is only the first in a series of hospital collapses that we'll see happen. Pounding the Point Home Physicians and hospital administrators have been pounding this point home to their legislators. This month as budget discussions continue in the legislature, physicians are urging their lawmakers to take action to revive the program, to increase physician payment rates, and restore it to some semblance of health.