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Public Hearings on Proposed Ky. Medicaid Changes Begin in Bowling Green

Natalia Merzlyakova
/
123rf Stock Photo

A public hearing on Governor Matt Bevin’s proposed changes to Kentucky’s Medicaid program will be held Tuesday, June 28 in Bowling Green.

The leader of an Owensboro-based community development group sees positives and negatives in  Bevin’s proposal. 

Jiten Shah is executive director of Green River Area Development District and is on the board of Kentucky Voices for Health.

He’s concerned about Bevin’s plan to have Medicaid recipients pay a monthly premium.

“I do have some concerns, you know especially, the recipients would have to have a monthly premium. Since the Medicaid expansion is serving the low income population for the insurance, and many of them may not be able to afford monthly payments of $1 all the way up to $15 a month.”

Shah said even relatively small payments could be difficult for many low-income people already struggling to make ends meet.

The proposed changes would add the premium, but do away with the co-pay that Medicaid recipients are charged when they go for a medical appointment. 

But there are also parts of Bevin’s plan Shah supports.

“Things that are proposed by the governor have a lot more positive things, too. Especially providing the drug treatment program for the citizens. Along with that, the one thing really exciting to me is moving the individuals to take responsibility for their own health.”

The public hearing in Bowling Green is set for June 28  from 10 a.m. to noon central time at the Knicely Conference Center on Nashville Road.

Two other public hearings are scheduled. One is in Frankfort on June 29 and the other in Hazard on July 6.

Copyright 2016 WKYU-FM. To see more, visit WKYU-FM.

Rhonda Miller began as reporter and host for All Things Considered on WKU Public Radio in 2015. She has worked as Gulf Coast reporter for Mississippi Public Broadcasting, where she won Associated Press, Edward R. Murrow and Green Eyeshade awards for stories on dead sea turtles, health and legal issues arising from the 2010 BP oil spill and homeless veterans.
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