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Lack Of Medicaid Threatens Health Care Providers

Two Months Pass Without Consistent Checks

POSTED: 6:25 pm MDT July 27, 2010
UPDATED: 6:05 pm MDT July 28, 2010
Health care providers are still waiting for full reimbursements and consistent Medicaid checks from the state, but Idaho Health and Welfare said they do not know when all of the money will be sent.

When the state announced they wouldn’t be able to make Medicaid payments in June for three weeks, hospitals, doctors, businesses and family-owned programs geared up.

The Graves family has six daughters at home and four developmentally-disabled residents in their own family-operated program. When they heard the news in April that Medicaid would run out, they had to reach out to extended family.

"We actually arranged with family to help,” said Todd Graves, the father, “who actually sent us some money because they knew June wasn't going to be a good month."

But when the new fiscal year began in July and they waited for the promised reimbursements, the Graves family said only half arrived.

The next check they received only covered an overdue electric bill, but the bills continue to pile up. Now the family's oldest daughters at home are now working at the local café, Cowboy Up, to contribute as well.

"I don’t have a problem with it," said Katie, who is 16 years old. "I enjoy helping them out. They’re my family."

"I haven’t had to as much as she has, because I don’t have as much saved up," said Hannah, 15-year-old daughter. "I don’t really need that much money, so I don't mind giving it back to the family."

The family said they continue to work together under the pressure and focus on the love that they have in their home, but it is hard not to hide the emotion and stress.

"We obviously hope that this is resolved quickly," said Todd Graves. "We like doing what we're doing, but we can't do it for free and we really need help from the state."

Idaho Health and Welfare said the issue is with their billing service company, Molina. They have met with Molina’s executives to try and resolve the issue, but they don’t know when all of the money will start to arrive.

"The system is continuing to pay out claims. The money is continuing to go out," said Emily Simnitt, the public information officer with Idaho Health and Welfare. "The checks will be going out this week. I can't tell you to who or which providers will be receiving that money and how much money they'll be receiving."

Simnitt recommended contacting Molina to ensure providers are enrolled properly in their system to try and help speed payments along. Since the beginning of July, Health and Welfare has paid $120 million.
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