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Georgia is among 35-plus states that have used an under-the-radar federal funding mechanism to boost payments for hospitals and other providers under Medicaid. But a government watchdog and a congressional advisory commission say sparse oversight makes it hard to tell if the “directed payments” program is meeting its goals.
The extra federal money comes through an obscure, complicated mechanism called "directed payments" — available only for states that hire health insurers to deliver services for Medicaid.
Federal watchdogs say Medicaid directed payments need closer monitoring and better transparency.
Emanuel Medical Center in rural Georgia racks up more than $350,000 a month in losses providing health care for low-income and uninsured patients. But a new state funding proposal could
States tap federal “directed payments” for hospitals that treat Medicaid patients, but some argue that expanding Medicaid is a more urgent solution.