A Phoenix man awaiting a bone-marrow transplant got good news Friday — word of two donors for possible matches.
But Friday also marks the implementation of new state budget cuts for Arizona's Medicaid program. Those include eliminating coverage of numerous types of transplants, including bone-marrow transplants such as the one needed by Mark Price, a former armored-truck guard who has leukemia.
Price says he's hopeful the state can reverse the cutbacks.
A spokesman for Gov. Jan Brewer says the state faces huge cost burdens from federal health care mandates and has had to cut optional services such as transplants.
WillC posted at 9:00 pm on Wed, Oct 6, 2010.
Regarding AHCCCS cuts, its consequences for those awaiting transplants, etc., why did the governor say this was necessary to save $5 million? Why not cut where it counts, i.e the huge "management" fees paid to the big health care providers? Do the math: These big corporations drain $2,200 (probably more than that now in some instances) PER MONTH per AHCCCS enrollee. That's a whopping $26,500 per year ($2,200 x 12 = $26,400). Multiply $26,400 pe enrollee x 1.3 enrollees in AHCCCS in Arizona and you get over $30 BILLION, none of which pays the enrollees' true medical costs (doctors, hospitals, MRIs, etc.). Why not return "management" to the doctors where it belongs?
Mesatoo posted at 10:54 pm on Fri, Oct 1, 2010.
I'm sick of having car washes and bake sales because people can't afford medical care while large corporations are given huge tax breaks and subsidies.[sad]