The Christian Opportunity Center in Pella may see big changes in finances now that managed Medicaid is in place.

COC Executive Director Rod Braun tells KNIA/KRLS News the organization assisting dependant adults receives 85% of their money from the Medicaid program.

Braun feels that additional cuts would cause more strain on what he describes as an already tight budget.

“I think a lot of times the people who fund our services have this notion that they can cut four or five percent of our funding and that we’ll find new efficiencies and ways to do things that’ll help us survive without those deficits,” he says.

“But the fact is our funding’s been tight for decades and it’s been a long term problem, and in many respects there’s no place for us to cut.”

Pending an appeal for their cost report rates, he says the organization can lose upwards of $500,000 in the first year, or up to four to five percent of revenues.

“It keeps being repeated by state officials that this is going to happen without negatively impacting provider organizations like COC, and it simply isn’t true,” Braun says.

The Iowa Legislature may approve additional oversight to the program as it continues to roll out before the end of the session, but many Republican lawmakers feel it’s unnecessary and negates some of the anticipated cost savings the new program provides.