IA Medicaid patient lost the care he'd received for 20 years. 3 months later, he was dead.

[progressoid]

ORANGE CITY, Ia. — Thirty-two years ago, a vehicle accident left Todd Mouw a quadriplegic, unable to feed himself and needing a ventilator to breathe.

Yet for decades he was able to live at home with the help of family, aided by medical staff who visited him daily to help provide 24-hour care.

That care abruptly ended when a for-profit company that Iowa hired last year to manage the state's Medicaid program announced that some of the staffers who had attended to Mouw all those years weren't qualified, and it wouldn't pay for the cost.

As he and his wife Cyndi futilely searched for qualified help, Todd's health dissipated. He had to leave his home for care, and on July 8 he died at age 53.

...

In June, six Iowans with disabilities filed a federal lawsuit against Gov. Kim Reynolds, accusing the state of depriving thousands of Iowans that are part of the $4 billion program the legal right to live safely outside of care facilities.

More...http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/investigations/2017/08/13/medicaid-patient-lost-care-hed-received-20-years-3-months-later-he-dead/488367001/

[Moostache]

1. You would think stories like that matter to these GOP reptiles...

You would be wrong.

They do not care how many Todd Mouws and those like him die due to being denied basic health services in the "richest nation on Earth". That fact, that so many do NOT care, should disqualify us from EVER saying anything about America is great or 'the best' or 'leading the world'.

We lead the world in wars of choice, production of weaponry and destruction of peace everywhere we go or plant another militray outpost. Empire USA is evil and it is because it requires so much of the blood and treasure of the nation that we refuse to help those in most need and instead forcibly take resources from other peoples to further enrich the same fucking asshole billionaires that are hording wealth like nobody's business.

Rest in Peace Todd. I am sorry that the state of Iowa killed you. I wish your story was the last of its kind instead of the first of many, many more to follow.

[progressoid]

3. Orange City is in the most Republican part of Iowa.

80% voted for Trump. They don't see the connection between who they've been electing and the damage being done. They are true believers.

[Danascot]

4. That's what the GOP would call

a success story.

[LisaM]

2. State programs should not be outsourced to for-profit corporations.

It never ends well.

[rurallib]

5. Too bad those who were ultimately responsible (Branstad, Reynolds, Republican legislators)

can't (I don't think) be held liable for this. Can they?
I assume there will be a lawsuit against Amerigroup. Looks like there is already a long line of lawsuits against them.

Probably one of the reasons these "management companies" have such a hard time making money is legal fess from their fuck ups.
Got to wonder how much of our dollars Branstad decided give them goes out in legal fees.