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Medicaid and Health Safety Net Reform

Reforming Government. Empowering Patients.

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Paragon policy analysts are available to discuss our analytics and advice on a broad range of topics, including, but not limited to:

– Public Health
– Private Health
– Medicare
– Medicaid

Note: Only inquiries from media entities will be considered; for any other requests, please contact us.

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Paragon Communications Office [email protected]

Medicaid and Health Safety Net Reform

To transform Medicaid and the safety net to improve the well-being of the recipients and ensure that it is accountable to the taxpayers.

  • The purpose of a health care safety net is articulated in Medicaid’s statutory charge: “Furnish rehabilitation and other services to help such families and individuals attain or retain capability for independence or self-care.” 42 USC 1396
  • Medicaid delivers poor results, failing both those who rely on the program and taxpayers.
  • Personal empowerment is essential to achieving fulfillment and prosperity as well as the best program outcomes.
  • Overall well-being encompasses much more than medical care and is, in large part, a function of family, friends, community, work, and faith or sense of purpose.
  • Medicaid’s current financial structure, with an open-ended federal reimbursement of state expenditures, leads to significant improper and inappropriate spending in the program that disproportionately benefits special interests rather than the intended recipients.

Goal 1: Accountable and Efficient Program

  • Ensure that eligible recipients receive the most efficient services in the right setting and at the right time.
  • Use proper incentives to maximize actual value for patients from public spending.
  • Develop appropriate standards to assess the program’s outcomes.
  • Realign incentives and reform financing so both the federal government and states are accountable for results and concerned about the value of the programs.

Goal 2: Improved Health and Well-being of Patients

  • Give patients opportunities to choose holistic, individualized health care options.
  • Empower recipients to improve health outcomes through proactive, healthy behavior, social and community engagement, and smart interactions with the health care system.
  • Consider the overall impact of the variety of social welfare programs on recipients and their incentives to lead the most productive and meaningful lives.

Related Work

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