Re: Doyle's budget vs HMOs

[ewagner]

Did everybody catch that in Doyle's budget?

As I understand it, he is proposing a 6% assessment on GROSS REVENUES of all HMOs participating in the Medicare/Badgercare program. The money will be used to fund an increase in Medicare "capitation" (which is the monthly fee paid per participant)AND there is a suggestion that the increased revenue will show a greater "matching share" which would trigger an increase in Fed funding to the state.

IMO this is a bad, bad idea.

First, not all HMOs in the State participate in the program. So the "assessment" is rather selective and punitive.

Second, participation is voluntary so the assessment will cause many to opt-out of the program so that most medical providers will end up with the more expensive "fee-for-service" system.

Third, HMOs actually operate on a profit margin much, much smaller than 6%. This will put many of them in the red financially.

Thoughts?

[Jackpine Radical]

1. I'd have to see the numbers, Wags.

But in general I'd prefer to expand BadgerCare into a statewide universal healthcare plan. Provided it didn't have all the same restrictions as BadgerCare (which hardly pays for dentistry, for example) & pays the providers a little better in general. (They pay less than 1/3 the going rate for psychotherapy, for example).

[ewagner]

3. For the record,

I wouldn't mind seeing BadgerCare turned into a state-wide universal plan either (even though I sell health plans)

My problem is putting the costs on the backs of only those HOMs which participate in the program.....

6% is a LOT of money!!!!

[pansypoo53219]

2. if only

he could get more of the profits from big pharma.