Massachusetts Managed Medicaid Lost Taxpayers $328 Million Last Year.

On its front page, the Boston Globe (8/3, A1, Conaboy) reports on a new study by the Massachusetts Inspector General, which found that "insurers that contract with the state to manage the care of low-income Medicaid patients...pay higher fees to many hospitals and doctors than the traditional Medicaid program pays for the same services." According to the report, in 2011, "the higher payments cost taxpayers $328 million." Moving Medicaid enrollees into managed care plans is supposed "to improve coordination of care and lower costs." Using the findings of this report, the IG's office "recommended that the state use its contracts with the plans to cap payments to hospitals...and to doctors."