Governor Terry Brandstad’s plan to have private companies manage the state Medicaid program has been approved by federal regulators. Currently Medicaid provides health care to over half a million low income and disabled Iowans. Earlier this month the Iowa Senate repealed the plan with the Health Care Protection Act, which passed the Senate 29 to19. The bill has not been voted on in the Iowa House of Representatives. State Senator Rich Taylor of Mt. Pleasant says, he continues to receive email after email with concerned constituents who don’t believe the governor’s Medicaid plan will work. Medicaid privatization will go into affect April 1st with Amerigroup, AmeriHealth and UnitedHealthcare Plan of the River Valley.