Despite the overwhelming outcry from Iowans struggling under ReynoldsCare, Governor Reynolds has buried her head in the sand and claims that her for-profit Medicaid scheme is not, in fact, collapsing.

She said directly on Iowa Press, “no it’s not imploding,” but here’s what Iowans are saying about the ReynoldsCare debacle:

DES MOINES REGISTER: Iowa Medicaid recipients mean ‘more than a dollar sign,’ emotional crowd tells state
The private companies are denying critical care, failing to properly notify Medicaid recipients of their basic appeal rights and often nonresponsive to serious questions, those who spoke from a crowd of more than 200 at Des Moines’ downtown library told state officials.

“She is more than a dollar sign, she is a person. A very valuable person,” an emotional Patti Murphy of Indianola said, pointing to her 39-year-old disabled daughter who survives on a ventilator.

DES MOINES REGISTER Letter to the Editor: A Medicaid patient lost the care he’d received for 20 years. 3 months later, he was dead.
Cyndi Mouw is speaking out, blaming her husband’s death on Iowa’s decision to turn over its Medicaid program to for-profit companies she believes are unilaterally denying or revoking medical services to potentially thousands of other disabled or elderly Iowans.

“If they’re trying to do this because they need to save money? Well, find other places,” Cyndi Mouw said. “And, yeah, I’m sure he’s not the only one.”

DES MOINES REGISTER Letter to the Editor: People are falling through the cracks with Medicaid privatization
“Privatization of Medicaid has left me in limbo. I’m scared of the consequences from this change. My funding has been cut severely by AmeriHealth Caritas and now they are pulling out. Maybe this was the plan all along, but maybe someone woke up and realized they were destroying lives and there was no politically correct way to do this.” – Jason Cantonwine, Ames

DES MOINES REGISTER: Letter to the Editor Iowa Medicaid is definitely in trouble
“Thousands of Iowans aren’t receiving the care they need or deserve from the MCOs hired to manage Iowa’s Medicaid. Some are even dying because of denied care. And the people of Iowa are subsidizing corporations that are designed to put profit ahead of our health and well-being.” – Jack Reardon, Clive

KCRG: Dubuque woman frustrated with Iowa Medicaid MCO changes
“We were both on AmeriHealth and we were notified that we were supposed to switch to Amerigroup if we wanted to remain at Medical Associates and we were supposed to call before the 16,” she said.

Meghan did just that, but it wasn’t very simple.

She said, “they denied me so many times and said that they didn’t see me anywhere in the system. I was like, ‘okay so where am I gonna deliver since I have absolutely no health insurance whatsoever?’ So it was really nerve-racking.”

WATERLOO FALLS COURIER: Iowa Medicaid enrollees worried by new turmoil
“When Director Foxhoven said there would be ‘bumps’ in the road, I took great issue with that. I wrote to him two weeks later to say, ‘My son is not a bump in your road,’” said Jeff Edberg of Iowa City, referring to his 15-year-old son Colin.

“Governor Reynolds is ignoring desperate cries for help from Iowa’s neediest citizens. Her refusal to give up this failed system is not only irresponsible, but it’s downright cruel,” said Iowa Democratic Party Spokesperson Tess Seger. “Reynolds needs to abandon this partisan experiment and work across the aisle to make sure every Iowan gets the care they need.”