Medicaid managed care in Iowa: Experiences of older adults and people with disabilities.
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BACKGROUND: A growing number of states are turning to managed care arrangements to provide care to senior and disabled Medicaid beneficiaries. Despite their complex care needs, very little is known about the experience of these individuals in managed care. OBJECTIVE: To document experiences of a sample of aged and disabled Medicaid beneficiaries receiving long-term services and supports through managed care in Iowa and to assess whether these experiences changed over time. METHODS: A purposive sample of 49 aged and disabled beneficiaries enrolled in one of seven HCBS waivers in Iowa was recruited in 2017. Telephone surveys were conducted in 2017 and 2019. A conventional content analysis was used to generate themes, which were then ranked by frequency proportions. Thematic frequencies were compared across waves among repeat respondents. RESULTS: Content analysis yielded seven themes in the following areas: system navigation; service approvals; provider relations; customer service; case management; perception of Iowa's transition to managed care; and oversight. Concerns with service approvals was the most frequently reported theme and within this, issues related to changes in approved services or hours and quality of newly approved services comprised the largest number of references. Beneficiary concerns appeared to grow over time among respondents participating in both survey interview waves. CONCLUSION: The results of this study point to serious and persistent concerns related to access and quality of care under managed care for at least some HCBS waiver participants in Iowa, underscoring the need for a comprehensive evaluation of the program.
