Medicaid meeting tops Gov. Terry Branstad?s agenda in visit to Washington

Gov. Terry Branstad departed Iowa ahead of the snow storm on Thursday for several days of meetings in Washington D.C. that will include a face-to-face conversation with U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

The meeting with Sebelius, scheduled for Friday afternoon, will focus on the potential expansion of Medicaid, the health-care program for the poor.

Expanding Medicaid services, which are funded jointly by the state and federal government, is a centerpiece of the Obama administration?s health-care efforts, and would put potentially tens of thousands more Iowans on the rolls.

The federal government has committed to paying 100 percent of the costs of the additional enrollees for three years and at least 90 percent after that. But Branstad has ardently opposed the expansion, questioning whether the feds can maintain that commitment and suggesting state government could ultimately be stuck with the bill.

Friday?s meeting will be an opportunity to air those concerns one-on-one, and perhaps find areas of compromise.

?We hope this meeting is the beginning of a dialogue with our federal partner on health care and other important topics,? Branstad spokesman Tim Albrecht said.

The governor has been steadfast in his opposition to the Medicaid expansion even as other Republican governors who initially opposed it have changed their mind.

Ohio Gov. John Kasich and Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer have reversed course in recent weeks, and in a big turnabout, Florida Gov. Rick Scott did as well on Wednesday.

Albrecht noted that Scott became a supporter after only Florida was awarded a waiver from the federal government allowing the state to privatize its Medicaid operations.

?Gov. Scott was able to secure significant flexibility in delivering Medicaid in Florida that will improve the health outcomes for his residents while controlling the costs through a specific waiver,? he said.

At this point, Iowa has received no such waivers changing how it might deliver care through the program. Branstad has pushed for health and wellness campaigns, new efforts to attract medical professionals to Iowa and limits on medical malpractice lawsuits to improve health care in the state.

?Gov. Branstad is committed to health care reform in Iowa that improves the quality of care, lowers costs and, most importantly, makes Iowans healthier,? Albrecht said.

Branstad will be in Washington through Monday, and also will attend meetings of the National Governors Association, the Republican Governors Association and the Council of Governors. He?ll use the trip to meet with potential economic development partners, Albrecht said.

Tags: health care, Jan Brewer, John Kasich, Kathleen Sebelius, Medicaid, Medicaid expansion, Rick Scott, Terry Branstad

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/IowaPolitics/~3/O2rt93VqDIs/article

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