Lobbying and Debt
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Amazing week in Congress
It is really amazing to watch the machinations of Congress this week. Wall Street has told the Republican caucus in no uncertain terms that both a government shutdown and default on the debt will hurt the economy and, frankly, harm to the future of the Republican party. No individual would default on their debts to…
Denial of Multi-Visceral Transplants a Matter of Life or Death
Since Julie Hamos, Illinois Medicaid Director, has decided to deny payment for multi-visceral transplants we can count three Medicaid patients who have expired. We will not give up and will continue to seek a change so that, like the 33 states who approve the this procedure, Illinois will approve this rarely needed procedure without which…
Doc Fix
Before Congress left for it’s August recess we had a nice victory. A House Committee passed a bill commonly referred to as the Doc Fix and adopted an amendment that will allow Wisconsin to develop a best in the nation system of physicians being told privately how well or how poorly they perform both on…
Patient Dies After Medicaid Denies Transplant
Sad news today, in follow up to my previous post: http://www.chicagobusiness.com/article/20130708/NEWS03/130709875/patient-dies-after-medicaid-denies-risky-transplant-coverage
Solve Home Care Problem
Please see the letter to the editor posted in today’s Journal Sentinel: The Obama administration decision to delay the imposition of an employer mandate is welcome. But it doesn’t solve the fundamental problem for Medicaid dependent home care providers. Home care companies that are dependent on Medicaid are only paid $16 per hour per patient…
Smart Move from Obama Administration
The Obama Administration has made a dramatic announcement that it is delaying by one year the employer mandate for health insurance coverage finessing it past the 2014 election. A very smart move. It was announced via the Treasury Department blog which is can be found here.
Governor Walker Did the Right Thing
Scott Walker did the right thing when he vetoed the bail bondsmen provision in the budget. It was a statute to set up a system in which defendants and more importantly their loved ones who will literally robbed on thousands of dollars that they could never recover. Governor Walker is to be applauded for his…
Heartbreak
Illinois Medicaid has decided to reject a request for a multi-viscersal transplant for two Illinois patient–one a 23 year single mom African American and the other a downstate 67 year old Grandma It is trully heartbreaking. (See link to Crain’s story) Multivisceral transplant which have been pioneered at Indiana University involve a new liver, kidney,…
Farm Bill Debacle
John Boehner can’t seem to put together that coalition of the Great Middle to govern. He doesn’t control 218 votes and until and unless he finds a way to get to 218 there were be more embarrassments like yesterday’s failure of the Farm Bill. Democrats are opposed to the Food Stamp cuts and some tea…