Medicaid accounts for more than one-fifth of the state budget, and the General Assembly’s watchdog agency wants to understand the reasons why. The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission has launched a two-year investigation into what’s driving up the program’s costs—and whether those costs can be reigned in.
Over the past three decades, Virginia’s Medicaid program grew by 1600 percent. That growth rate has slowed some over the last year, which lawmakers say is due to recent implementation of managed care. But they also say the state still needs to root out cost-drivers and inefficiencies. One target will be Medicaid’s transportation service. Delegate Bobby Orrock says constituent complaints are pouring in.
“They get an appointment with the doc, and then trying to find a time when the non-emergency transport will actually get them there to make that appointment time. If they’re late, then the doc cancels—you know—they write it off and have to re-schedule. And I think that’s a lot of the inefficiency we’re seeing in the system, where those two don’t get coordinated on the front end well enough.”
And patients have been dropped off at the wrong places. Another topic will be how eligibility for Medicaid is determined, including a new Internet-based system. Delegate Steve Landes says that will also cover a related angle.
“You can enroll individuals, but then we’ve got to make sure they’re still eligible to be in the system—and be eligible to receive the benefits.”
And since the population is aging, other study topics include the problems of long-term care.