Shame on Optum for cuts to Medicaid child patients

It’s shocking, appalling, and needs answering, why Optum, while making hefty profits is seeking to harm the most vulnerable of people by denying them care at the “clinic community” they recently purchased (“Optum WA cuts care for more than 23K Medicaid patients,” The Herald, Aug. 26).

Huge profits not enough? How much is enough? The people that need Washington’s AppleCare are people in “this community” they purchased, who already had a history with The Everett Clinic, they had a doctor, so where do they go now?

Optum, it’s your brand, and that brand represents your character, morals to the community you serve. Because, Iit’s real people in this community that rely on AppleHealth, they have no collective influence, have no voice, and therefore are at the mercy of the conglomerate, and victims of the profiteer gouging medical monopoly. I don’t know if Washington sate will help advocate against this decision or even engage? Or what can be done. All I can say is shame on Optum, and thanks for letting us all know where your “real” priorities and character live, and how your corporate greed model is applied and makes a mockery of health care needs for the neediest.

April Cole

Everett