DHHS sent nearly 50,000 children's medical cards to incorrect addresses

[WorseBeforeBetter]

So glad the Republicans are in the charge to, you know, "fix government."

By Lynn Bonner
[e-mail] 3, 2014 Updated 22 hours ago

The state heath agency acknowledged Friday that it sent nearly 50,000 children’s Medicaid cards, which include their names and birth dates, to incorrect addresses.

A spokesman for the state Department of Health and Human Services said it knows who received the wrong cards and will send new cards to the correct addresses as well as monitor for any fraudulant use.

“We are doing a thorough and full review of this incident and how it happened,” said DHHS spokesman Ricky Diaz. “We regret it’s occurred and we are working to correct it as soon as possible.”

Diaz did not provide details of the fraud monitoring plan.

....

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/01/03/3504559/dhhs-sent-nearly-50000-childrens.html#storylink=cpy

[Laelth]

1. Republican government at its finest.

We're suffering under the same kind of calloused indifference and neglect.

-Laelth

[WorseBeforeBetter]

2. And Little Ricky, the 24-year-old spokesman and former McCrookie campaign staffer...

is pulling in a cool $85,000/yr. I don't see $85,000 in that statement...

[barbtries]

3. i wondered if that was the same guy.

corruption in your face in NC.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

5. Corrupt, incompetent, arrogant...

NC voters better kick these bastards out in November 2014 and 2016!

[barbtries]

7. i hope so

but it's a faint hope. they've gerrymandered the state and done every possible thing they could think of to keep democrats from voting. i don't know. it all makes me sick and i am ready to move back home, though because of my job i can't hope to do so for at least another couple years.

[KoKo]

4. K&R...keep on exposing

[WorseBeforeBetter]

6. McCrookie's online defenders are blaming it on Obamacare.

Where's a facepalm when I need one?

Oh, here!

[WorseBeforeBetter]

8. More from N&O: McCrory defends DHHS chief after agency's latest misstep

By Lynn Bonner and David Ranii
[e-mail] [e-mail] 6, 2014 Updated 11 hours ago


DURHAM — Democrats renewed their call for the leader of the state health agency to be replaced after the department violated federal privacy rules by sending nearly 50,000 children’s insurance cards to incorrect addresses last week.

But Republicans, led by the governor, said the mistake is yet another example of how dysfunctional the Department of Health and Human Services had become under previous Democratic administrations.

“There’s been 10 years of operational neglect – not only in that department, but others,” Gov. Pat McCrory said Monday. “You can’t fix that in one year.”

....

McCrory joked that anyone who believes such a large and complex department could be fixed so quickly “has probably spent time in Colorado in the past week.” He was referring to the legal sales of marijuana for recreational use in Colorado, which began last Wednesday.

....

DHHS’ problems in recent months have related to the roll out of new computer systems. The agency fielded numerous complaints from health care providers about a new Medicaid claims system called NC Tracks that failed to pay some of them for treating patients. And residents flooded soup kitchens or went hungry when problems surfaced with new public benefits software called NC FAST, which failed to properly issue food stamps.

....

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/01/06/3511000/mccrory-defends-nc-dhhs-chief.html#storylink=cpy

One term, Patsy, you smarmy bastard.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

9. "DHHS Secretary Wos hears criticism from lawmakers over Medicaid waiver"

More Wos apologies...

DHHS Secretary Wos hears criticism from lawmakers over Medicaid waiver

By Joseph Neff and Lynn Bonner
[e-mail] [e-mail]
February 11, 2014 Updated 16 hours ago

....

The General Assembly had passed a law in July requiring legislative approval before the department asked the federal government for a significant change in Medicaid policy, known as a waiver.

....

But Rep. Nelson Dollar, a Cary Republican, and a chief budget writer, expressed his concern that the department’s $2.8 million estimate could grow to as much as $45 million. He said the legislature’s budget committees should have been informed that DHHS was going to seek the waiver.

....

“I am deeply disappointed that our proper process was not followed,” Wos said. “It was not shared with the CFO for Medicaid, the CFO for DHHS, or the front office. We apologize to the committee for being in this situation.”

....

Former Medicaid director Carol Steckel requested the waiver in August. The waiver requested that North Carolina delay the use of federal income standards that calculate whether Medicaid recipients can renew their coverage.

....

The waiver boils down to this: Medicaid recipients who don’t qualify for renewed coverage in the first quarter of the year will receive an extra three months of coverage. And those renewing after the first quarter will receive an extra six months of coverage.

....

http://www.newsobserver.com/2014/02/11/3613022/dhhs-secretary-wos-hears-criticism.html#storylink=cpy

Meanwhile, Steckel stepped down after "serving" only 8 months, and is now working at a Florida for-profit company in the private managed care business. Can't have this:

http://www.communitycarenc.com/