Question regarding Montana Medicaid proposal for those who are on board...

[newtothegame]

How exactly would this work?

Medicaid is affordable to patients only because it reimburses hospitals/pharmacies 50% or less of their costs to provide that service/drug. COSTS, not charges. $.52 on the dollar at my hospital (non-profit community, I work in the Foundation). How exactly would our or any other communities' health care providers stay open if all patient care was reimbursed like that?? :shrug:

[Vincardog]

1. I believe that plan is to give them the rate on DRUGS not services

[Yo_Mama]

2. It wouldn't work

EDIT:

But apparently the plan is that the Department of Health and Human Services would pay the difference! I got that from here:
http://www.kfbb.com/news/local/Governor-Proposing-Medicaid-Pharmac-108562289.html

Of course, pharmacies couldn't even buy drugs if they had to sell them under what they paid for them. As it is now, they shift the cost of those discounts to all their customers who are not eligible for the discounted charges.

I assume that the federal government would have to raise taxes or shift revenue to cover this.