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Rauner not thrilled with Medicaid block grant idea

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Illinois

* After dodging questions Tuesday about where he stands on “repeal and replace” of Obamacare, Gov. Rauner talked a tiny bit more yesterday…

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says President Barack Obama’s health care law has “massive flaws,” but he’s cautious about repeal “with nothing to replace it.”

Rauner spoke to reporters Wednesday after an event in Springfield. The Republican says he’s encouraging Illinois officials to talk with President-elect Donald Trump’s team and “encourage them to be thoughtful about it.”

* More…

“I don’t think it works very well to just take it away and have nothing to replace it with,” he said. “I don’t think that works.”

He also spoke out against changing Medicaid into a block-grant program, something supported by U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan and Health Secretary nominee Tom Price.

“Illinois is not well-positioned if they do that,” he said. “Illinois has been mismanaged on its Medicaid program for years. We’re trying to fix it but we’ve only been at it for two years and it takes a while.”

Discuss.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:11 pm

Comments

Maybe we should petition the legislature for a new State sport-Dodgeball. I cannot believe how much the governor dodges the issues and after 2 years is still playing the blame game.

Comment by Cable Line Beer Gardener Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:17 pm
Illinois could actually BENEFIT from a block grant. We have the population size and the poverty numbers to make us eligible under a theoretical block grant system. However - if our Medicaid system is a mess and if our budget situation is not resolved then HHS would not consider us for a full grant. The current (and potentially soon-to-be defunct) system encourages sheer numbers above all else. If a block grant system is more merit-based and requires more hoops to jump through for funding then we may in for a rude awakening.

Comment by Team Sleep Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:27 pm
It literally hurts my larnyx to say this, but Rauner’s right on both counts. Illinois cannot withstand Trump’s healthcare and Medicaid policies.

Comment by Dome Gnome Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:29 pm
===Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner says President Barack Obama’s health care law has “massive flaws,”===

Follow-up: Can you list some of these massive flaws, Governor?

Comment by 47th Ward Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:47 pm
The excuse that our state is messed is not a good one to Congress looking to implement reforms, and surely wouldn’t be a good one for a local government looking for relief from the Illinois Governor.

Comment by Not It Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:47 pm
Well for one i didnt get to keep my doctor. And two, i didnt get to keep my insurance. And three, my deductible went.

Comment by Blue dog dem Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:52 pm
Wrote about this a few months ago. Medicaid block grants would just give states the flexibility to change enrollment and coverage standards as they see fit. The savings all come from reducing the number of beneficiaries.

http://healthexec.com/topics/policy/how-medicaid-spending-limits-or-block-grants-could-affect-care

Comment by John Gregory (ex-IRN) Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 12:59 pm
Weasel. Words.

You can’t be neutral on a moving train, Mr. Rauner.

Comment by Handle Bar Mustache Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 1:34 pm
Mismanaged? From the top yes. When they let Maximus a private company do re determinations it was a disaster. We were mopping up the blood from that for two years. We won the court case and not we have certified caseworkers doing the job.

The new IES software was supposed to solve a lot. But phase 2 blew up on the launch pad in September. Here we sit. If we get IES up we will be able to eliminate a lot of the issues

Comment by Honeybear Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 2:18 pm
Block grants are based on the premise that local people can tailor solutions that fit local conditions. It is a staple of conservative thought that one size fits all national solutions miss the mark for many.

Never heard of the locals claiming they were incompetent.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 3:15 pm
Block granting Medicaid will be a disaster for Illinois. Our federal matching funds will remain stagnant, or minimal increases, while health care costs rise at a rate much higher than inflation as we have seen for a generation. Health inflation has slowed in the last few year but is still much higher than overall inflation. With a pool of federal Medicaid dollars that does not increase but health insurance costs rising where do we make up the difference? GRF. By the way, Illinois Medicaid reimbursement rates are among the lowest in the nation. That’s not attractive to health care providers.

Comment by Hopeful Thursday, Jan 19, 17 @ 6:59 pm