national

Pawlenty's missteps are still biting MN in the rear.

Oh pleeeeeeeze, $30 million going back a decade. What is this? Like $1.73 extra a claim? Except the $30 million and call it a day.

"No good deed goes unpunished." Indeed! Had UCare abided by the Creed Of Government (i.e. spend every last dime and then beg for an increase) nothing would have happened. It would have been business as usual with MN raking in the cash and the Federal Government blissfully unaware (intentionally or otherwise) of just exactly how deep Minnesota's hand was stuffed into the Federal pocket. But if people think that this is some kind of an isolated incident, or pertains just to the MN DHS, those people are almost criminally credulous. My educated guess is that this type of thing happens in every state, and with nearly every program where there are Federal matching dollars at whatever percentage. We're spending at every level like a bunch of drunken sailors. Pandora's box has been opened just a crack and a whole lot more demons are going to escape before it is shut again. Nothing special about Minnesota. We're just the first. But I'll guarantee that we're not going to be the last.

Umm rvd420, Ms Jesson's actions occurred under Dayton's watch. The question we should be asking is, why does she still have a job? She knowingly tried to defraud the gov't.

The real bad actors here are the health plans. They have been misleading the public and the government; and have been reaping millions. The health plans have been supported by Democrats and Republicans alike. I am a Minnesota physician and it is generally known that there is no transparency in medicaid rate setting - it has been frustrating providers for years. I am glad the plans are being called on it. What we need of course is regulation, transparency and accountability from the health plans. I have my doubts that this will ever happen, however. Yes the legislature passed a transparency bill this year...but it doesn't go in to effect until 2015. What are they hiding?

The HMO premium to insure 1 person on welfare is appx $500 per month. Please multipy that x the thousands and thousands of people on welfare. Let me know what you come up with.

Why isn't Pawlenty being indicted for misuse of state money and abuse of executive power?

The State and the Plans have colluded to steal hundreds of millions of dollars from "US"...taxpayers. All that is required is an audit of 2010, which the Feds would pay 1/2 the cost of. Why not do it NOW, Senator Hahn. The University is involved too....someone should ask about trips to Germany w/ plans, DHS, CMS, and others all together.

And you libs think it wouldbe a good idea to enact obamacare? Why would any sensible thinking US taxpaying citizen think it would be a good Idea to let the federal government be in charge of your healthcare AND your monies?

Medicaid is in need of major structural reform. Not only is it stretching limited financial resources at the federal and state levels, but it also falls far short in delivering quality care and services for those in need. Obamacare only makes matters worse by adding millions of people to this already strained and unreformed program. The House Republican budget took important steps with regard to Medicaid by calling for the repeal of Obamacare and putting Medicaid on a budget. However, this is just a down payment on what needs to be done. The next step is to put policies in place that restructure the Medicaid program so that low-income individuals and families are mainstreamed out of Medicaid and into the private health insurance market. In this way, Congress can expand the private insurance market, ensure more robust competition, and secure the kind of care that the vast majority of working Americans have today. At the same time, Congress needs to restore Medicaid to a true safety net program for the most vulnerable in society.