Medicaid Needs Constraints and Reforms, States the

TUCSON, Ariz., July 10, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- In a letter to Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) and Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the Arizona Chapter of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons “calls on all Republicans to honor their Party’s frequently repeated campaign promise to free us from ObamaCare, which might best be called the Un affordable Care Act.”

The letter states:

“The Senate bill at present reneges on the promise to repeal ACA. Apparently, Republicans feel they cannot overcome resistance to full repeal from Democrats and some Republicans. But it is essential for any bill to contain an off-ramp to freedom, permitting individuals and states the option to provide for their medical needs in the manner they choose, without IRS punishment.

“Additionally, the Medicaid program needs serious reform, and its expansion must be constrained. Federal taxpayers and creditors cannot afford this continuing hemorrhage.

“We strongly disagree with the special interests represented by the Arizona Medical Association, pleading for continuation of the enormously increased funding of the AHCCCS program [the Arizona Heath Care Cost Containment System]. ArMA was strongly opposed to a Resolution presented at the 2017 House of Delegates meeting that called for a forensic audit of the program. Taxpayers need to know how much of the multibillion dollar flow of funds is actually being used to provide medical care to the needy. And how much is being diverted to other state agencies and to the profits of the managed-care cartel that increasingly controls medical care in Arizona? Medicaid should not be a means of “leveraging” taxpayer funding of nonaccountable private interests, or for back-door funding of state government.

“A preliminary audit of publicly available documents by a forensic accountant showed that managed-care contractors made more than $225 million in pre-tax profits in just one year. In 5 years, nearly $400 million of Medicaid funding was transferred to other state agencies. A deeper level audit is needed to determine the truth of the assertion that only 20 to 40 cents of every Medicaid dollar actually buys any medical care, meaning that 60% to 80% of revenue is diverted away from care of the needy.

“We urge you to support an end to ACA mandates, provisions to permit a free market in health insurance, and changes that will constrain unsustainable Medicaid spending and permit reforms that return control to patients and their physicians instead of private-sector and government bureaucrats. An actual decrease in the price of premiums and medical services should be the goal, not counts of persons enrolled in plans that may provide very little care.

“The Association of American Physicians and Surgeons (AAPS) represents physicians in virtually all specialties and every state. Founded in 1943, AAPS has the motto “omnia pro aegroto,” which means “all for the patient.”

Contact: Jane M. Orient, M.D., (520) 323-3110, janeorientmd@gmail.com