Preventative Healthcare Emerges as Ideal for Replacement for Medicaid

New ideas being considered for Medicaid aim to transition the state’s healthcare from reactive to proactive. Spokesman Jessica Robinson with the Governor’s Office says nothing has been finalized. But, she says state agencies are looking at redefining state healthcare, moving away from “the crisis management” or medicating-the-sick approach and moving toward a program focused more on prevention, on maintaining health. An entirely new approach to Medicaid could also mean an entirely new name for the state’s next healthcare program. Robinson says it would be appropriate to rename the program if the state decides to redefine it. She says one idea is replacing Medicaid with Healthnet. New name or no, Robinson says finding a solution to state healthcare is one of Blunt’s main priorities for the next legislative session.