Equal Reimbursement for MoHealth Net Providers

By SAMANTHA LISS

Missouri News Horizon

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — A new house bill would require MoHealth Net to equally reimburse health care providers that administer similar services.

For example, optometrists and ophthalmologists who provide similar services to MoHealth Net patients receive different reimbursement rates.

Rep. Jake Zimmerman, D-Olivette, was the only committee member to vote against the bill because he was concerned about raising rates during this economic climate.

“I need some understanding of how we’re going to improve patient care or get more value for our dollars in the healthnet program before we agree to up reimbursement rates,” said Zimmerman.

However, Zimmerman says he’s not against raising rates.

“Generally if we up reimbursement rates it’s because we need to do it to get more services,” said Zimmerman.

Bill sponsor Rep. Ward Franz, R-West Plains, doesn’t see why reimbursements should differ ophthalmologists and optometrists pay the same amount for equipment and do the exact same work, the only difference is ophthalmologists attend school longer.

“The whole point is getting paid for the same amount of work,” said Franz.

House bill 1808 passed through the Insurance Policy committee and now awaits introduction to the House Floor.

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Posted by Missouri News Horizon on April 6, 2010. Filed under Government. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry