Medicaid Mayhem!

"Fly" offers this...

Well, just when ya thought it couldn't get any worse for the Ray/Allyson show at our only hospital in town! Now, DRMC is in hot water with Medicaid. I've heard different amounts quoted, but the lowest is 2 million dollars. Yes, that's right.

Let's see -- if you couple that with the 4 million dollars wasted on a hair-brained scheme to market nothing, it all adds up to 6 MILLION DOLLARS OF OUR TAX MONEY!! The word (spoken by DRMC officials) is that DRMC was "erroneously overpaid" by Medicaid and they are wanting their moola back now. Anyone have any reasons as to how this screw up occurred? And... more importantly, who can put an end to this gross and nauseating mismanagement of our county's monies and our healthcare???

-- A Fly On The Wall

Actually, the Medicaid "overpayment" issue is one that is hitting all hospitals throughout the state. Medicaid is in a bigger financial mess than DRMC, and is asserting that "over-payments of funds" have been made to hospitals for the past few years.

Mississippi Hospital Association is fighting very hard to contest these alleged over-payments which will essentially bankrupt some of our smaller hospitals who are already struggling. The jury is still out as to if and when these funds shall have to be repaid, but I can assure you that if Medicaid wins, health care around the state will suffer.

This is one issue which can not be blamed on Ray Humphreys and his administration. It may be the death blow to Ray's empire which is obviously "down for the count", but at the end of the day, Medicaid is simply wrong on this issue. Access to health care will ultimately suffer for all citizens.

It is easier for this faltering state agency to go after the hospitals for their survival, than it is to clean up the massive corruption and abuse for which Medicaid is noted. We shall see how this all plays out for 2007.

Forthright

Anonymous said...

Why don't all you disgruntled and pissed off DRMC employees get together and write a manifesto of all your complaints. Offer solutions for each complaint and present a copy to each board member, county supervisors and distribute to area media.

Quit all your bitching and do something productive instead of blowing massive amounts of steam on a blog that is just making the top dawg resemble a puff adder. I know he's an idiot, you know he's an idiot - get off your duffs and put your money where your mouth is!

Actually, this is a rather good suggestion. However, just as in the Leland School District matter, DRMC employees are afraid to "speak up" for fear that they will lose their job, or otherwise be retaliated against. Have good people lost jobs for telling the truth or expressing an opinion that differs with the "powers that be"? Yes, they certainly have.

But when people band together in a common quest for fairness and equity, is when our meager voices become "mighty". Both nurses and teachers are rare and very valuable commodities in the Delta. Collectively united, both of these groups hold a great deal of power to demand and implement change.

If 25 teachers collectively approached Dr. Richards or the school board with a list of concerns about the welfare of our children, do you think she or the board would have them all summarily fired?

I don't think so.... nor would Ray chance the headline of the DDT reading, "Humphreys Fires 15 Nurses over Blog Debate!" Banning this blog is ludicrous, but there are four very distinct commonalities between the DRMC and LSD issues:

1. The "leaders" in both of these institutions are obviously aware of the issues discussed on the "Delta Scoop".

2. The "leaders" in both of these institutions are obviously afraid of public disclosure in that they remain silent except for veiled threats and personal intimidation.

3. The "leaders" of both of these institutions are "public servants" who ultimately should be accountable to the will of the citizens that they serve.

4. Nothing will change in either of these institutions until citizens unite in a collective voice that demands accountability, fairness and change.

Forthright