title: Expanding Medicaid managed care: the right choice for Texas?
abstract: We set out to determine whether expanding Medicaid managed care in Texas is the solution to the challenges faced by the state of meeting the healthcare needs of a rapidly growing Medicaid population while addressing its own fiscal limitations. We reviewed the Texas Medicaid program, the potential effects of federal healthcare reform, and the state political climate through the perspectives (advantages and disadvantages) of the primary stakeholders: patients, practitioners, hospitals, and insurers. Research was performed through online, federal and state regulatory, and legislative review. In addition, we reviewed government and peer-reviewed reports and articles pertaining to issues related to Medicaid populations, healthcare practitioners, and hospitals that serve them. Each primary stakeholder had potential advantages and disadvantages associated with the expansion of Medicaid managed care. We conclude that expanding Medicaid managed care, if done in a manner responsive to the needs of recipients, can meet enrollees' healthcare needs while controlling the state's costs.
authors.affiliation: Scott & White Center for Healthcare Policy, Temple, TX, USA. swapreddy01@yahoo.com
authors.forename: Swapna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reddy
authors.forename: Marisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Finley
authors.forename: Dan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Posey
authors.forename: James J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Rohack
mesh_terms: D017048:Health Care Costs; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000458:organization & administration; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006738:Hospices; D006801:Humans; D007348:Insurance, Health; D008329:Managed Care Programs / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008484:Medicaid / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011057:Politics; D011315:Preventive Medicine / Q000458:organization & administration; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D013781:Texas; D014481:United States