Letters: Address rising Medicaid costs by tackling the underlying problems

Regarding the article “GOP lawmakers eye cuts in 'optional' Medicaid benefits” (ModernHealthcare.com, Jan. 13), the trouble with block grants, reducing benefits or eligibility, or even reducing prescription drug prices is that they do nothing to solve the underlying problems. Any economist will likely tell you that these moves are akin to a price freeze or wage freeze, which might temporarily have an impact but do nothing to resolve the issues.

Addressing the challenge of rising Medicaid costs must be through creating solutions to poor health, waste, inefficiency and ineffectiveness. Passing the buck to consumers, states, or just sweeping problems under the policy rug (a Washington favorite) will not make anyone's life better. Lawmakers must think more carefully and intently about what they want to accomplish. If it is simply save the federal budget money and everything else be damned, then own up to it.

David Edwards

Hood River, Ore.

Regarding the recent feature “Moving dental health into primary care” (Jan 9, p.13), there is a community health provider in Renton, Wash., called HealthPoint that has already implemented this model, is sharing information via its electronic health record, and 75% of its patients are on Medicaid or Medicare. The onus isn't on the primary-care doctor; rather they work in collaboration with the dental unit and dentists on site. It's a fantastic model that should be copied.

Jason Owens

Providence St. Joseph Health-Providence Health & Services Renton, Wash.

Regarding the article “Cuban doctors could offer best practices on improving community health in Chicago” (ModernHealthcare.com, Jan. 18), I am in no position to comment on the quality of healthcare in Cuba, but if Cuba is superior to us in so many ways, then what conclusions are we to draw?

Could it be quality healthcare does not depend on expensive medical degrees from expensive universities? Quality healthcare does not depend on bleeding-edge technology? Quality healthcare does not depend on money spent per capita? That's $9,403 in the U.S. vs. $817 in Cuba, according to 2014 data from the World Bank. Am I missing anything?

Ryan Baker

Irving, Texas