Allowing Streamlining Medicaid Policy

The planning of "welfargon medicament" such as Medicaid acknowledged the existence of gaps in the snobbish vault of heaven's ability to pay: "Undoubtedly, in that system there be gaps, particularly in rural districts and poorer districts in the cities, and we have a very definite interest in trying to touch up those gaps" (Stevens 21).

Despite its intentions, Medicaid leaves numerous gaps unfilled in the provision of health check c everywhereage for the poor. Medicaid is avail sufficient only to those impoverished adequate to qualify for federal subsidy course of studys such as public assistance and Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC). Standards of eligibility vary by state. Therefore, a psyche who qualifies for Medicaid in one state may be unentitled in a neighboring state. Also, although federal requirements set current minimums for medical examination care, states possess sufficient discretion to circumvent these requirements. The offspring is a hodgepodge of inconsistencies: "Here was no nationwide program to provide a outdoor stageard of care to all those whose incomes brute(a) below a certain level . . . The program would stand or fall by the combined activities of fifty contrastive legislatures" (Stevens 57-58).

The original Medicaid legislation called for the provision of five basic medical run. These included inpatient hospital services, outpatient hospital services, other testing ground and X-ray services, skilled nursing-ho

Although Medicaid services are available to destitute persons of all ages, the elderly are among the prime beneficiaries. The average per capita expenditure per aged Medicaid pass catcher was $2,921 in 1981 compared with $930 per capita for non-elderly recipient (Davis and Rowland 51). Although the number of elderly persons receiving Medicaid has remained relatively stable over the past decade, the amount of funds pass on their medical care has increased sharply. For instance, $2 billion dollars was spent on 3.3 million elderly Medicaid recipients in 1972 compared with $10 billion spent on 3.5 million elderly recipients in 1983. Although the cost per recipient for non-elderly patients has also risen, the increase has not been as dramatic.

Maximizing the subprogram of low-cost health care providers is a strategy existence pursued by the State of Arizona. Using this approach, Arizona was able to gallop its public Medicaid program to the private sector. This program has construct a model for other states. The federal Health aid Financing Administration waives certain requirements of the traditional Medicaid program to lay off states to experiment with innovative solutions to control rising costs. Arizona's solution was to exonerated a competitive bidding system to select providers for Medicaid patients, and hopes to expand this system to provide health care for the private sector as well (Jacobson 124).

The differences between eligibility and benefits varies widely from state to state. level(p) adjusting for cost of living variations does not account for the gross inequities: "The poor eligibility criteria imply that Medicaid is characterized by horizontal inequity (that is, treats similar populate in similar circumstances unequally) and fails to allocate its resources to the most needy" (Granneman and Pauly 23). These differences in eligibility create incentives for low-income persons to move to states that offer the most benevolent benefits. This in-migration of large grou
Ordercustompaper.com is a professional essay writing service at which you can buy essays on any topics and disciplines! All custom essays are written by professional writers!