Law, Health Policy & Disability Center Bulletin Board: Social Security changes

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/24/national/24utah.html

In an article dated 24 February 2005 in the New York Times National Section, Model in Utah May Be Future for Medicaid, discusses how the Bush Administration might overhaul Medicaid under Michael O. Leavitt, creator of the now experimental plan of partial insurance on show in the State of Utah.

The article gives the example of a homeless man and discusses his current options in Utah. It also makes mention of how this digresses from the traditional plan in 2 ways. See excerpt from article below:

In Utah, Mr. Leavitt's plan departs from the traditional Medicaid program on two main fronts. First, it spreads out a lower, more basic level of care to more people, and reduces coverage for some traditional beneficiaries by imposing co-payments for services. And second, it relies on the generosity of doctors and hospitals to provide specialty services free of charge.

In doing so, the state has in many ways reframed and reshaped the national debate over Medicaid and health care for the indigent, experts say, broadening the focus from the question of who does and does not have health insurance, to what constitutes basic health coverage.

Many academics and health care analysts say they also worry that substantial state-by-state Medicaid experiments could fracture and fragment a system that while never without its critics, has evolved into an anchor of health coverage for the poor since its introduction in the 1960's. Medicaid could create a landscape of winners and losers determined largely by whether they are lucky enough not to become seriously ill.

Post Extras