DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gov. Terry Branstad met with a top federal official in Washington to promote Iowa's Medicaid privatization effort, which has come under scrutiny over the speed of the transition.
Branstad said Tuesday that he had an "encouraging" meeting with Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Sylvia Burwell. He said he stressed the transition plans as the state moves its $4.2 billion Medicaid program to private companies, including that patients can keep current providers for a period of time.
Last week, federal officials expressed concerns about the timetable for the changes, slated to take place Jan. 1. In a letter to an Iowa official, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said officials will need to ensure certain conditions are met before the agency will sign off on the changes.
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