UI Symphony and IMU
Congratulations to the UI Symphony for an outstanding performance on Feb. 17. I’m not a bona fide music critic so I won’t get in over my head. But I know and love Brahms’ First Symphony, and I found the UI Symphony’s performance of this piece deeply satisfying. I was not familiar with Ravel’s piano concerto, featuring the UI’s own Rene Lecuona as soloist, but it was a delightful piece. The second movement was truly mesmerizing.
I will miss these performances in the IMU Main Lounge when the new Hancher Auditorium opens. It’s true, the Main Lounge acoustics are not great, and at quiet moments you can hear the air handlers. I’m sure that’s frustrating for the musicians and doesn’t do their recordings any good. But the UI Symphony performances have been free at the IMU, and if you get there early, you can sit right up front, practically surrounded by the orchestra. That’s an experience you can’t have in a concert hall. There are just a few Main Lounge performances left — if you love symphonic music, give it a try.
May I suggest to the UI Symphony that performing in the Main Lounge for free once or twice a year would be a wonderful tradition to uphold?
Derek Maurer
Medicaid privatization paradox
Those in favor of handing over Medicaid services to private companies say it will 1) save the state money 2) without sacrificing quality. This letter offers a critical look at these assumptions, and advocates for the establishment of the oversight measures outlined in Senate File 2107 and House File 2199.
1) Projected Savings. To examine the likelihood of actual cost savings, we can look at past records of Iowa’s contracted companies. This excerpt from a Hays Daily News editorial describes Medicaid privatization outcomes in Kansas: “United HealthCare and Amerigroup, the firms hired in hopes of reducing costs for Kansas, reported they continue to lose money … It appears all we can do is wonder why savings have not materialized, as there is little oversight of KanCare.”
A similar performance from United HealthCare and Amerigroup in Iowa would overwhelm the budget, because the promised savings have already been reallocated. Iowa legislators need to be proactive in establishing oversight to avoid a situation in which we are left helpless and confused.
2) Quality Care. Measuring the quality of care delivered by these companies depends on their cooperation and transparency, since they are private entities. An accountability investigation done by St. Louis University School of Law describes a “hostile response” from UnitedHealthcare, which refused to share information about the provider network (a key component of accessing care) without a subpoena. The report continues with similar information sharing issues with Amerigroup, which provided “minimal, partial responses to requests for information” in Florida, and took five months to respond to information requests in New Mexico. Furthermore, these companies are free to manipulate patient-grievance processes to serve their interests. Without oversight, we won’t know if our money is being spent on delivering the services promised or if care is being limited to maximize profits.
As we hurtle toward the privatization of Medicaid services, we need to hold these companies accountable for their care management and financial performances. Removing government completely means handing over care of Iowans — some with complex, long-term health needs — to companies that prioritize quarterly profits. In the interest of the state’s welfare, I urge citizens and policymakers of Iowa to support the establishment of the oversight committee outlined in Senate File 2107 and House File 2199.
T.L. Heeren
