Iowa (RI) — The state is paying a Des Moines-based non-profit to manage the mental health and substance abuse services being provided under the new statewide behavioral health system. Aaron Todd is CEO of the Iowa Primary Care Association, the non-profit that’s been overseeing the 14 community health centers that primarily serve low-income Iowans.
Todd says the goal of the new system — which launched the first of this month — is to create a statewide safety net that connects those who need services with a provider.
A decade ago, the state hired private companies to oversee Iowa’s Medicaid program — and hospitals, doctors, and other healthcare providers have complained about delays in getting reimbursed for providing care. Marissa Eyanson of the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services says the state has created a simplified claim process for the new behavioral health system.
