PALLONE ANNOUNCES INQUIRY INTO HIGH RATES OF DENIAL OF CARE BY MEDICAID MANAGED CARE PLANS

Statement

"I'm deeply troubled by reports that Medicaid managed care plans denied an average of one out of every eight requests for treatment, more than double the rate of service denials in Medicare Advantage.

Medicaid is a lifeline for over 80 million people, including children, people with disabilities, seniors, and hardworking families. This report strongly suggests that some private insurance plans, which states have contracted with to provide health care coverage to their residents, may be improperly denying access to critical services in order to maximize their profits.

I applaud the Office of the Inspector General for their important work on this report and for shining a light on these alarming practices. I will be contacting each of these health insurance companies directly for additional information and questions regarding their prior authorization practices. It is essential that these state contracted plans are upholding their responsibility to patients and their families."

Source