Until today the major significance of June 1 was important for two healthcare policy-related developments: the initiation of the restructured GAMC safety net here in Minnesota, and the one-day nursing walkout. Since the latter is rescheduled for the 10th, the former kicks off today with as much uncertainty for its future stability as those ongoing nursing-hospital talks are currently demonstrating.

With the new focus of GAMC as one of operating within a strict healthcare (capitated) budget of sorts, many beneficiaries of the program in its former incarnation are not only finding it as challenging to negotiate it in order to retain the level of care they have gotten used to; they are also realizing that its current policy is somewhat finite and inflexible.

That is, until they are able to take advantage of a state-run program using matched federal funds later this year, they are realizing that access to that care has just become as complicated — almost intentionally so. Such is the case of a Duluth man with schizophrenia who now has to travel to the Twin Cities in order to receive the care he has become accustomed to, by necessity.

“I don’t really like the idea of going to the Twin Cities, but I need comprehensive care,” said [John] Micklick, who suffers from mental illness and several chronic conditions. “I’ve got to be careful, because I know if things get too stressful, that’s when I start hearing things and seeing things.”

[...]

But like thousands of others who live outside the metro area, Micklick’s choices for medical care are: Get help at his local hospital emergency room, look for clinics willing to give free care or commute to the Twin Cities.

Not much room for choice, as an initial wish-list by the state of participating providers has been slashed from almost twenty throughout greater Minnesota to just four in the Twin Cities metro — also out of economic necessity. Until a new governor is installed this fall, care access under this program will continue to be a challenge. Although, this will relax once federal funds and (promised) higher reimbursement rates for providers kick in, it is no guarantee that the level of subsidized care for poor childless adults who qualify for the program will benefit in exactly the same way — even if that  governor becomes a Democrat. The constantly fluctuating nature of healthcare reform will see to that. | LINK

Related Posts Within Doctor Pundit:

1. Minnesota Hospital May Be Ultimate Arbiter in State’s Ability to Provide Safety Net Care to Poor The state’s largest acute care medical safety net, Hennepin County...
2. Developing Story: Minnesota’s Largest Acute Care Safety Net Rejects Alternate State Proposal for Indigent Care The board of the state’s largest publicly funded acute care...
3. Minnesota Nurses Overwhelmingly Reject Twin Cities Hospitals’ Proposals It’s being billed as the biggest nursing strike in this...
4. Minnesota’s Largest Acute Care Safety Net Announces Cuts in Care Delivery So much of what happens to safety-net healthcare delivery really...
5. CMS Begins 2011 with EHR Incentive Program Starting today, CMS will allow registration for its EHR incentives...