Medicaid and Managed Care

Reform Medicaid to maintain access:

Re the April 21st letter http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/04/20/2177745/reform-medicaid-to-maintain-access.html by Michael Garner, President and CEO,Florida Association of Health Plans. Mr. Garner claims that for-profit managed care companies will contain Florida's rising Medicaid costs by care coordination and quality improvement.
But a recently published study of the managed care pilot program taking place in Broward, Baker, Clay, Duval and Nassau counties concluded that there is insufficient evidence to verify claims of cost savings. The study concludes that instead of rushing to implement this unproven and ill-advised pilot program statewide, more reliable cost-saving alternatives should be considered. For example, Massachusetts is trying to contain rising health care costs by supporting the development of accountable care organizations (ACO's). These are networks of physicians, practices and hospitals that will share in any cost savings they generate by better coordinating and integrating patient care without adding unnecessary administrative overhead generated by managed-care companies. Geisinger Health Systems in Pennsylvania is using its networks to try out a model similar to patient-centered medical homes and high-risk care management programs. Sutter Health in California has focused on engaging its doctors on quality and efficiency programs. Before we turn over billions of dollars to private for-profit managed care companies we should seriously explore other methods and modalities to contain health care cost, improve the quality of care and to maintain access to medical services for all of those in need.


Bernd Wollschlaeger,MD,FAAFP,FASAM
Board Certified Family Physician & Addiction Specialist
16899 NE 15th Avenue, North Miami Beach, FL 33162
Phone: (305) 940-8717
E-mail: info@miamihealth.com