Gov. Terry Branstad on Monday cast aside Democratic senators’ request to delay penalties for hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare providers who miss a deadline to sign contracts with private companies set to manage the state’s Medicaid program, the Des Moines Register reported. Democratic senators asked the Republican governor Monday to delay a Jan. 1 deadline for healthcare providers to sign contracts with four national managed-care companies, and Branstad rejected the request the same morning. The senators noted that the hospitals, clinics and nursing homes are slated to face a 10 percent reduction in their Medicaid payments if they don’t meet the deadline. The senators and other Branstad critics have complained that his administration is rushing to turn over Iowa’s $4 billion Medicaid program to private companies. Branstad said his approach will provide better care for less money. “We’ve been working on this and they know we’ve been working on this diligently from January,” he said. “We’re doing what 25 other states have already done.”