Bevin, along with Health and Family Services Secretary Vickie Yates Glisson, announced that the new Medicaid plan will be developed by senior advisor Mark D. Birdwhistell.
Birdwhistell, a former Secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and current VP of Health Affairs for UK HealthCare at the University of Kentucky, will be tasked with replacing a system that Bevin says is financially unsustainable.
"Mark Birdwhistell is one of the most knowledgeable individuals in the country on this issue. With his expertise, we are going to develop a viable solution that is tailored for Kentucky's needs," Bevin said. "Our state is financially in trouble and cannot afford to continue down the current Medicaid path that we are on."
During the announcement, Bevin placed the focus on a study carried out by accounting giant Deloitte, which stated that additional jobs created by expansion of the program would offset increased costs.
"Leading Kentucky economists agree that the healthcare jobs predicted by the Deloitte study have not materialized, rendering the suggestion that Medicaid expansion pays for itself invalid," Glisson said. "We need to be better stewards of our resources and use all options available to us to benefit the health and wellness of all Kentuckians."
Bevin said that the work done in the next six months will prove whether this system will work or not. He also said that, despite their intentions, his administration cannot guarantee a waivers program would be approved.
Story courtesy of WHAS11.com