DES MOINES (AP) — Hillary Rodham Clinton is criticizing Gov. Terry Branstad’s effort to privatize Iowa’s Medicaid program.
In a post published Tuesday on Medium.com, the Democratic presidential candidate says Branstad’s plan to transfer management of the program to private companies puts care for more than 500,000 Iowans in “jeopardy.”
Clinton questions the projected cost savings associated with the shift and says advocates have raised “legitimate concerns” about the companies awarded contracts.
Branstad spokesman Ben Hammes says these are “tired, old and partisan attacks.” He noted that New York has many Medicaid patients on privately run plans.
Clinton has sought to weigh in on state issues throughout her presidential campaign. She has previously criticized Branstad for eliminating funding for mental health institutions.