State Highlights: Analyzing Kansas’ Insurance Commissioner Race; Calif. Malpractice Cap Ballot Initiative
A selection of health policy stories from Kansas, California, Missouri, New York and Massachusetts.
Kansas Health Institute News Service:
Candidates Battling For Insurance Post Differ On Big Issues
The top-of-the-ticket races may be commanding the most attention in this year’s Kansas election, but significant issues also are in play in some of the down-ballot contests. The insurance commissioner’s race is one example. Like the higher-profile races, it features candidates with very different perspectives on key issues. But unlike those races, the contestants remain largely unknown to Kansas voters. A poll taken as the race headed into its final week showed Republican Ken Selzer leading Democrat Dennis Anderson by double digits – but nearly half of voters didn’t know either candidate. (McLean, 10/27)
Sacramento Bee:
Voters Have Say In Doctor-Lawyer Battle Over Malpractice Cap
Proponents contend their measure will save lives by deterring medical negligence, stepping up enforcement of prescription drug abuse and protecting patients from impaired doctors. Opponents cast the drug testing and prescription drug provisions as cynical ploys designed to mask the real intent of the measure – raising the cap – which they argue will force doctors and medical professionals to quit or move to states with lower medical malpractice insurance premiums. (Cadelago, 10/27)
KSNF-TV:
Missouri Reaches Medicaid Fraud Settlement
Organon will pay the state more than $600,000 over allegations ranging from improper kickbacks to falsifying drug costs to Medicaid. The lawsuit stems from two whistleblowers speaking out against the former Netherlands company. All 50 states took part in the lawsuit, resulting in a $31 million settlement. (Bolander, 10/27)
Reuters:
U.S. Sues NYC, Computer Sciences For Alleged Medicaid Fraud
The United States on Monday sued New York City and Computer Sciences Corp, accusing them of defrauding Medicaid into making millions of dollars of improper reimbursements by exploiting a computerized billing system that the company designed. According to a complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan, the defendants took advantage of the system's automatic default settings, enabling the city to improperly boost the amount and speed of reimbursements for services provided to infants and toddlers with developmental delays. U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan said some of these services might have been covered by private insurance, while others should not have been billed to Medicaid at all. (Stempel and Raymond, 10/27)
The New York Times:
New York City Agency And Vendor Bilked Medicaid, U.S. Says
Federal authorities have accused New York City officials of a five-year effort to defraud Medicaid, working with a contractor to exploit loopholes in Medicaid’s computerized billing system to collect reimbursements that amounted to tens of millions of dollars. (Weiser, 10/27)
The Associated Press:
U.S. Sues NYC Over Medicaid Claims Worth Millions
The federal government has sued New York City, saying it ripped off Medicaid for millions of dollars by submitting tens of thousands of false claims. A civil lawsuit seeking unspecified damages was filed Monday in Manhattan federal court. (10/27)
Boston Globe:
In A First, Mass. Town May Prohibit Tobacco Sales
The Central Massachusetts town of Westminster would become the first community in the state, and perhaps the nation, to ban all tobacco sales under a proposal made public Monday that regulators say is designed to improve health, especially among the young. (Lazar, 10/28)
The Associated Press:
Lawmaker: New York Jail Heath Care Needs Oversight
A city councilman on Monday said he will hold an oversight hearing this year to examine health care services at Rikers Island and other city jails, where documents obtained by The Associated Press raised troubling questions about quality and timeliness of care in more than a dozen inmate deaths since 2009. (10/27)
