Chronicle Editorial

By: 
Chronicle Staff

Saluting our veterans
Today marks our annual celebration of the men and women who so selflessly served the country as members of the United States Armed Forces – Veterans Day. It’s an important holiday, and one all citizens should acknowledge.
Sometimes it’s easy to ignore occasions like this one. People are busy, work is hectic and there’s just simply too much else going on. However, all of those excuses seem futile when you really stop and think about it. Our veterans gave us a commitment that’s almost impossible to understand. They sacrificed time, energy and many other things to serve the country they love, and that’s certainly commendable.
Franklin County, and pretty much all of Iowa for that matter, is home to many veterans who gave us their all. Each day we bump into these individuals without even knowing it. Many would prefer to remain humble and stay out of the limelight, but it’s important we show our appreciation when the opportunity presents itself. Veterans Day provides us with an excellent platform to express that gratitude.
Please take the time and show your appreciation to a veteran this week. Attend a community program, buy them a coffee or just simply shake their hand. They’ve shown their dedication to our country through the sacrifice of military service. The least you can do is tell them you noticed.
Editor’s note: A portion of this editorial ran in the Nov. 6, 2013 edition of the Hampton Chronicle.
 
More Medicaid missteps
     Despite reassurance from politicians and other state leaders, a plan that would reform Iowa’s Medicaid system found itself in more hot water after new details surfaced in a recent report.
     An article in the Nov. 8 Des Moines Sunday Register unveiled findings that showed discrepancies in claims made by companies selected to run Gov. Terry Branstad’s Modernized Medicaid initiative. The plan would essentially privatize Medicaid services by hiring four firms to manage the program, in turn saving taxpayers an estimated $51.3 million in the first six months alone. However, things aren’t always what they appear. The companies couldn’t provide the Register with hard numbers backing up certain claims about their cost-saving programs in other states, which underscores the need for more oversight as Branstad’s plan moves forward.
     The governor’s proposal has been dogged by sketchy details for the past several months. State officials have been unable to provide data indicating where certain savings will come from, and many critics have raised ethical concerns about the four companies hired to manage the program. Though it’s clear reform is needed to ensure the future financial stability of Medicaid in Iowa, more transparency is also needed before these changes take place.
     This whole situation could have been avoided if each company’s claims were thoroughly fact-checked during the bid process. A whole new can of worms will be opened if they provided incorrect data on purpose to win bids, and it would no doubt send the reform proposal back to the drawing board. Delaying the plan and investigating recent developments seems like a logical move as the Medicaid overhaul date approaches. More than 560,000 poor and elderly Iowans rely on the program, and the state must reassure skeptics that the companies hired to manage it are capable of doing so at a savings to taxpayers.
     Ultimately, Branstad’s Modernized Medicaid initiative must be approved by the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Without more transparency and hard numbers showing cost savings, the current proposal could face an uncertain future that jeopardizes reform plans. The state needs to investigate recent developments to ensure these changes will benefit taxpayers and Medicaid recipients like previous claims have asserted. Accountability must be at the forefront if Iowa wants to privatize its Medicaid system by implementing large-scale changes, but it seems thorough oversight is lacking if the Register’s findings are used as a measuring stick.

Hampton Chronicle

9 Second Street NW
Hampton, IA 50441
Phone: 641-456-2585
Fax: 1-800-340-0805
Email: news@midamericapub.com

Mid-America Publishing

This newspaper is part of the Mid-America Publishing Family. Please visit www.midampublishing.com for more information.