Journal Sentinel Editorial Calls for Transparency in Medicaid Policy Making

The June 20 Milwaukee Journal Sentinel had a very good article by Guy Boulton about the potential consequences of the Medicaid budget cuts and policymaking changes in the biennial budget bill. Unfortunately, the article doesn’t tell us anything concrete about what those consequences will be because that was not resolved by the bill; instead it will be decided in the months ahead by DHS.

A follow-up editorial in today’s Journal Sentinel urges DHS to hold hearings and says the policy decisions ahead “should include consultation with those who know the program best: advocates and patients.” The editorial goes on to say:

"The budget-repair bill, passed this spring, gave the Department of Health Services the authority to make changes in the programs without legislative approval. But the bill required public hearings. The new two-year budget bill, which passed both houses of the Legislature last week, dropped that requirement. It's a mistake that Walker should try to correct before signing the bill."  (emphsis added)

The Governor could accomplish that very easily by vetoing the portion of the budget bill repealing the Act 10 language that requires rulemaking for the Medicaid and BadgerCare policy changes.

The June 20th article also led to a pointed critique of the Medicaid power shift and the removal of hearings by blogger Rick Ungar.  In a nutshell, I think it would be fair to say that Ungar supports the call for a more democratic process for Medicaid decision making, while expressing a whole lot more skepticism about the prospects for seeing that during the three and one-half year duration of this consolidation of lawmaking power.

Jon Peacock