Senator Doug Berger's World

Carter Wrenn posted on July 12, 2009 02:54

Senator Doug Berger probably never dreamed anyone would run TV ads in his district telling his constituents how he voted to cut 20,000 elderly Medicaid patients’ home care then, eight days later, turned around and voted to build a $25 million fishing pier at the beach -- with a sixteen thousand square foot clubhouse and a ballroom.

But that’s what happened and Senator Berger’s gotten himself tied in political knots trying to get out of the mess.

First he let out a bellow he’d been smeared then he started telling everyone he was an innocent victim – a kind of modern day Horatio at the bridge – battling the evil special interests who were dead set on stopping him cutting government waste and fraud.

But, then, he slipped again and said he knew precisely, to the exact percent, how much fraud there was in Medicaid home care: 45%. Of course then he had to come up with proof and he slipped a third time. He said he’d gotten his hands on a report from Governor Perdue’s Administration that showed he was dead right.

Only what Governor Perdue’s Administration said was he was dead wrong.

An official at the Perdue Department of Health and Human Services wrote Berger’s aide, Melanie Bush, and put it pretty bluntly, telling her – in plain English – that Berger’s claim 45% of the home care patients didn’t need care was flooey. (Click Here)

Then Dr. Craigon Gray, another Perdue appointee, weighed in and put it even blunter, explaining to Berger that a ‘review’ like the one he was citing didn’t include an examination of even a single patient – so it couldn’t possibly say a patient didn’t need care. (Click Here)

That didn’t faze Senator Berger – even with his fig leaf in tatters he forged ahead roaring he’d never back down - to hear him tell it you’d think 20,000 elderly Medicaid patients (many of whom will never see eighty again, are disabled, bedbound or in wheelchairs) are the most dangerous pack of lobbyists since Teddy Roosevelt tackled The Oil Monopoly and The Railroad Trust.

Finally, in his latest newsletter, Berger added the pièce de résistance, announcing the legislature has reached an agreement to raise taxes a whooping $1 billion then in the next breath saying that the Senate ‘revenue package actually lowers the sales tax’ – which a blind man could see wasn’t true.

So, here’s Doug Berger’s story (and he’s sticking to it):

Elderly Medicaid patients are a dangerous pack of special interests.

Home care – which keeps people out of Nursing Homes – is wasteful.

A $25 million fishing pier is wonderful.

And a billion dollar tax increase is a sales tax cut.

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Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina CEO Tim Rogers, sent the following email to all General Assembly Members today.

Carter Wrenn posted on July 09, 2009 12:43

3101 Industrial Drive

Suite 204

Raleigh, North Carolina 27609

Phone: 919.848.3450

Toll Free (NC): 800.999.2357

Cell: 919.961.3555

Email: TimRogers@homeandhospicecare.org

TracyColvard@homeandhospicecare.org

July 9, 2009

Dear General Assembly Member:

As I’m sure you know, both Congressmen Larry Kissell and G. K. Butterfield have recently spoken out and opposed cuts in Home Care for elderly Medicaid patients.

At our request, Congressman David Price’s office has written the Obama Administration to ask if the State’s proposed cuts in Home Care ($40 million this year and $60 million next year) could cause North Carolina to lose ‘Stimulus Money’ (estimated up to $2.2 billion).

The answer is yes.

Congressman Price’s office asked: If the proposed cuts end up making it harder for Medicaid patients to qualify for home care – could North Carolina lose future Medicaid funds under ‘The Stimulus Act?’

The Obama Administration answered: Yes, if the State changes eligibility requirements for Home Care and makes it more difficult for patients to qualify, then the State will fail to meet the requirements in the ‘Stimulus Act’ for additional federal Medicaid funds. Under the Act States cannot implement more restrictive eligibility “standards, procedures and methodologies” than those that were in place on July 1, 2008. Click here to read the correspondence.

We have posted these documents at www.SaveHomeCareandHospice.com. If we can answer any questions, or provide additional information, please let me know. I will be glad to help in any way I can.

As ever, best regards.

Sincerely,

Tim Rogers, CEO

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Association for Home & Hospice Care of North Carolina thanks Congressman G.K. Butterfield for expressing concern on the proposed home care cuts.

Carter Wrenn posted on July 09, 2009 11:33

Congressman G.K. Butterfield submitted this letter to the editors of several newspapers in his district:

July 8, 2009

Unkind and Unwise Cuts for the Elderly and Disabled

Given these difficult economic times, vitally important programs are facing cuts. I am particularly concerned about cuts to programs that help more than 36,000 elderly or disabled North Carolinians stay in their homes by providing hospice and home health care assistance.

Hospice and home health care helps bridge that gap so the elderly and disabled can remain in their homes and live independent lives, retaining their dignity and pride. And, in the long run, home health care saves money.

Unfortunately, proposed state budget cuts could have a devastating and compounding effect on home health care services because the federal government matches every state dollar with two dollars. The Association for Home and Hospice Care in North Carolina (AHHCNC) estimates the proposed cuts could cost 15,000 home health care workers their jobs and leave 20,000 patients without the care they need.

The AHHCNC also indicates the cuts could actually cost the state more money in the end as more people are forced into nursing homes. While nursing homes can cost upwards of $4,000 a month, home care costs the state a maximum of $750 a month per patient.

A recent study shows more than 80 percent of North Carolinians oppose budget cuts that affect home health care. They oppose drastic cuts to health services and education. We must find ways to manage budget shortfalls, but we cannot sacrifice care for our most vulnerable citizens. While these are difficult times, we must remember to always put families first.

Congressman G. K. Butterfield, First Congressional District, North Carolina

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How Politicians Cover-Up Their Mistakes

Carter Wrenn posted on July 05, 2009 10:36

Here’s a case study of how politicians cover-up their mistakes.

In April Senator Doug Berger cut home care for 20,000 Medicaid patients – then, 8 days later, voted to spend $25 million to build the Taj Mahal of fishing piers.

Now no one outside the walls of the legislature knew that -- until The Association for Home and Hospice Care put it in a TV ad, then Berger ended up on WRAL and in the News and Observer so now his constituents know he’s in Raleigh voting against eighty year old home care patients and for fishing piers – and Berger’s fighting mad and shooting back.

By saying he’s fighting waste and fraud. That home care is riddled with fraud. And that fishing pier is just fine.

Now consider this: To get home care a patient must suffer from at least two physical handicaps, and be recommended for care by his doctor. So for Berger to be right doctors had to make 20,000 mistakes – one every time they recommended a patient for home care. Plus the Department of Health and Human Services’ own statistics show less than 3% of Medicaid home care claims involve allegations of fraud.

There’s more: In 2007 when The Home and Hospice Care Association asked Senator Berger to support a bill to prohibit Nursing Homes, Rest Homes and Home Care providers from hiring felons – Berger turned thumbs down; then introduced his own bill to allow felons under 21 to have their records expunged. So a Nursing Home could hire a felon (convicted of, say, stealing from a ninety year old patient) and never know it.

Senator Berger is steaming full speed ahead, putting out a Jellicoe-like smoke screen of political rhetoric and, while he’s covering his tracks, his $25 million fishing pier is getting built and 20,000 elderly patients are still wondering if they’ll have home care next month – or be moving into Nursing Homes.

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