Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
>> THIS WEEK, THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT CAME UNDER
FIRE ONCE AGAIN AS IT MOVED FORWARD WITH PLANS TO TURN
OVER MANAGEMENT OF 15 BEHAVIORAL HEALTH PROVIDERS TO
COMPANIES FROM ARIZONA. HSD SUSPENDED MEDICAID
PAYMENTS TO THOSE AGENCIES AND THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE
IS INVESTIGATING THE ALLEGATIONS.
SO JOINING US ON THE LINE OPINION PANEL TO TALK ABOUT
THIS AND OTHER TOPICS, MARTHA BURK, HOST OF THE RADIO SHOW
EQUAL TIME WITH MARTHA BURK, KFRS IN SANTA FE.
>> WHITNEY WAITE, PRINCIPAL OF THE WAITE COMPANY
IN *** HILL. FORMER NEW MEXICO HOUSE
REPUBLICAN WHIP, DANIEL FOLEY RETURNS THIS WEEK AND JOHN
WERTHEIM, FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY OF NEW
MEXICO. START WITH YOU JOHN.
YOU WERE ON SEVERAL WEEKS AGO WHEN THIS STORY BUBBLED UP TO
THE SURFACE. YOU MADE SOME INTERESTING
COMMENTS AT THAT TIME ABOUT HOW THIS ALL CAME TO BE.
NOW, COMING FORWARD TO NOW, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, IT IS
NOW IN HIS HANDS AND OUR STATE AUDITOR.
LET'S TALK ABOUT THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FIRST, GARY KING.
YOUR SENSE OF HOW HE IS HANDLING THIS.
HE'S CONSTRICTED BY SOME FEDERAL LAW ON THIS, BUT IS
THERE ANYTHING IN YOUR MIND HE COULD BE DOING RIGHT AT THIS
POINT TO ADD OR TAKE AWAY FROM THE CONVERSATION AT THIS
POINT? >> I ACTUALLY THINK THAT HE IS
DOING THE RIGHT THING. I THINK WHAT THE MEDICAID
FRAUD UNIT NEEDS TO DO IS INVESTIGATE THE ALLEGATIONS OF
FRAUD. I DO THINK THAT I WISH THE HSD
HAD HANDLED IT DIFFERENTLY. I THINK THERE IS A KIND OF A
PARTISAN DIVIDE THAT IS DEVELOPING THAT IS
UNFORTUNATE. WE NEED TO FOCUS ON CONTINUITY
OF CARE FOR THE PATIENTS OF THESE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
SERVICES. THESE ARE MENTALLY -- MENTAL
HEALTH SERVICES, ADDICTION SERVICES THAT ARE IMPORTANT
FOR NEW MEXICO. I THINK WE HAVE LOST A LITTLE
BIT OF THE FOCUS. I THINK JUDGE ARMIJO IN THE
COURT BATTLE ENSUING, EMPHASIZED THAT IN HER RULING
THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT SHE IS GOING TO DO AS A JUDGE, SHE IS
TRYING TO FOCUS ON THAT CONTINUITY OF CARE ISSUE.
AND SO I AM HOPING WE CAN KIND OF BACK OFF ON THIS BECOMING A
PARTISAN DIVIDE. >> IS THE HORSE OUT OF THE
BARN? >> THE HORSE IS OUT OF THE
BARN. MY PERSONAL VIEW IS THAT I
AGREE WITH SOME OF THE CRITICS OF THE ADMINISTRATION THAT
SAID THAT THE ADMINISTRATION COULD HAVE TAKEN A MUCH MORE
MODERATE STANCE. THEY COULD HAVE SAID, LOOK,
THERE COULD BE SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS HERE.
WE WANT TO TAKE SOME TIME AND INVESTIGATE THEM AND NOT MAKE
ANY PRECIPITOUS DECISIONS. THAT IS WHAT THE CRITICS OF
THE ADMINISTRATION ARE SAYING. THAT DECISION WAS MADE AND
TRYING TO BLAME THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SO-CALLED OBAMA CARE
FOR FORCING THEIR HAND. I HAVE LOOKED AT THE LAW AND
REGULATIONS. I DON'T AGREE THAT FORCES
THAT. REPUBLICANS ARE GOING TO SAY
PRESIDENT OBAMA MADE US DO IT AND I THINK MORE COOL MINDS
ARE GOING TO SAY, NO, THAT IS NOT THE REAL ISSUE.
>> INTERESTING ABOUT WHERE REPUBLICANS ARE COMING FROM,
DO YOU HAVE A TAKE ON THAT POINT?
IS THERE SOMETHING ABOUT THIS THAT HAS BECOME PARTISAN TO A
POINT WHERE IT IS NOT TURNING BACK?
>> I DON'T THINK SO. I THINK PEOPLE WANT IT TO BE,
AND I THINK JOHN WANTS IT TO BE.
YOU EVER THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LAST TIME I CHECKED HE IS NOT
A REGISTERED REPUBLICAN. YOU HAVE A FEDERAL JUDGE, LAST
TIME I CHECKED HE WASN'T APPOINTED BY A REPUBLICAN.
BUT SHE IS NOT A REPUBLICAN AND SO, YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE GOT
FOLKS OUT THERE THAT ARE MAKING THESE RULINGS.
ALL THE LEGAL BEAGLES FROM THE HSD TO EVERYBODY ELSE OUT
THERE AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL ALL AGREE WITH THE WAY THAT HAS
BEEN HANDLED BUT JOHN, THE FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY, HAS A DIFFERENT READ OF THE LAW.
I THINK THE FACT IS WE HAVE A REAL DIFFERENCE IN HOW WE
HANDLE THIS. FORMER ADMINISTRATION HAD THIS
HAPPEN TO THEM IN THE HOUSING AUTHORITY SCANDAL AND THEY
HANDLED IT SLOWLY, MOVED SLOWLY, PEOPLE LOST THEIR
HOMES, BUSINESSES WENT OUT OF BUSINESS AND NOTHING EVER
HAPPENED. THE FEDERAL LAW SAYS ONCE YOU
HAVE A LEGITIMATE CLAIM OF FRAUD, YOU HAVE TO STOP.
STOP FUNDING THESE PEOPLE; TO STOP THE MONEY.
>> NO, IT DOESN'T. >> IT DOES SAY THAT AND THE
JUDGE RULED THAT. SEE, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS
PARTISAN. BECAUSE, YOU HAVE A FEDERAL
COURT THAT RULED THIS, YOU HAVE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE
ALBUQUERQUE JOURNAL, YOU HAVE CNN REPORTING ON UNBELIEVABLE
AMOUNTS OF FRAUD AROUND THE COUNTRY.
AND AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHAT I THINK IS FRUSTRATING
FOR US AS REPUBLICANS AND ME, I THINK, FOR GOVERNOR
MARTINEZ, IS WE TALK ABOUT THE MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE THERE IS
NOBODY CLOSER TO THAT THAN GOVERNOR MARTINEZ.
THAT IS NOT BECAUSE SHE CHOOSES TO BE THERE, SHE WAS
PLACED THERE WITH THE CARE OF HER SISTER.
SO, PEOPLE SAY SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS IS DOING,
SHE UNDERSTANDS EXTREMELY WELL.
SHE UNDERSTANDS UP TO 35 MILLION HAS DISAPPEARED AND
THAT IS CARE THAT IS NOT BEING DELIVERED.
>> ALLEGEDLY. >> THAT IS NOT CARE DELIVERED.
THAT IS A PROBLEM. >> OKAY.
ANOTHER PROBLEM, MARTHA BURK, THE FACT WE ALREADY SPENT
THREE MILLION OF TAXPAYER MONEY TO SUSS IT OUT BUT THE
BACKGROUND OF THIS COMPANY SHOWS IN OTHER STATES LIKE
NORTH CAROLINA THAT THERE IS A PATTERN HERE OF SOMETHING.
DOESN'T QUITE GIBE. WHAT IS YOUR TAKE ON THIS?
>> I THINK IT IS A SETUP FROM START TO FINISH, BETWEEN HSD,
THE PRIVATE COMPANIES, AND THEY WANT TO PRIVATIZE
GOVERNMENT SERVICES, THAT IS NOT ANYTHING NEW.
NORTH CAROLINA'S AUDITOR HAS SAID THAT THE AUDIT THERE WAS
VERY, VERY FLAWED. THEY INITIALLY SAID THESE
SO-CALLED AUDITORS THAT THERE WAS OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN
FRAUD AND SO FORTH. THAT CAME DOWN TO 22,000.
>> IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE. >> IN ONE PARTICULAR CASE.
AND, MY FRIEND HERE IS WRONG ABOUT WHAT THE LAW SAYS.
THE LAW SAYS THEY CAN FREEZE THE FUNDS BUT THEY DON'T HAVE
TO. IF THERE IS A GOOD CAUSE NOT
TO, SUCH AS LOSS OF SERVICES, YOU'RE NOT SURE WHETHER THE
AUDIT IS GOING TO BE PROVEN ACCURATE OR NOT, THEY DON'T
HAVE TO FREEZE THE FUND AND THAT IS IN THE LAW.
I WANT TO GET BACK TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL A MINUTE.
BECAUSE THERE IS A CASE THAT IS NOT IN THE CURRENT 15.
THAT HAS BEEN PENDING BEFORE THE ATTORNEY GENERAL FOR OVER
A YEAR-AND-A-HALF. HE HAS DONE NOTHING DESPITE
BEING BEGGED TO GO AHEAD WITH THE INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THEY
PUT THE PROVIDER OUT OF BUSINESS.
IT WAS A SMALL BUSINESS COMPARED TO THESE 15.
AND FLATLY PUT HER OUT OF BUSINESS, BECAUSE THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL WOULD NOT MOVE ON THIS REFERRAL FROM HSD.
I AM CONCERNED THAT HE IS GOING TO MESS AROUND AND MESS
AROUND UNTIL THE ELECTION CRANKS UP AND WE'LL NEVER KNOW
THE END OF IT. >> I AM GLAD YOU BROUGHT THAT
UP, WHITNEY OPINED ON THAT VERY THING IN THE EDITORIAL
THE PUBLIC DESERVE THE HSD AUDIT IT PAID FOR AND WENT ON
TO SAY A VERY GOOD POINT THAT THE REBECCA VIGIL GIRON CASE,
SHE DID NOT GET A SPEEDY TRIAL, THAT WHOLE THING WAS
KIND OF FETTERED AWAY AT THAT POINT.
DO YOU SHARE THAT FRUSTRATION THAT WE WON'T GET TO THE
BOTTOM OF IT? >> I THINK THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL IS ALL OVER IT, BECAUSE THE PRESSURE IS IN HIS
LAP TO DO IT. THE JOURNAL DID BACK OFF THEIR
ORIGINAL ASSESSMENT IN THE EDITORIAL THEY RAN TODAY. THE
LEFT AND RIGHT CAN GO BACK AND FORTH AS TO WHETHER OR NOT
THEY THINK THE LAW SAYS THAT THEY SHOULD OR SHOULD NOT OR
COULD NOT OR COULD NOT HAVE CUT OFF FUNDING,
ADMINISTRATION'S POSITION IS THAT AS SOON AS THEY BECAME
AWARE OF WHAT WERE VERY SERIOUS ALLEGATIONS OF FRAUD
AND POTENTIAL FRAUD WITHIN THESE COMPANIES, THEY HAD TO
TURN IT OVER TO INVESTIGATE. GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOES NOT DO
INVESTIGATIONS. THEY TURNED IT OVER TO
ATTORNEY GENERAL. AT THAT POINT, ATTORNEY
GENERAL SAID, YES, WE THINK THAT THERE IS ENOUGH EVIDENCE
HERE FOR US TO INVESTIGATE. AT THAT POINT IN TIME WHEN THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID, WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE, THEN,
THEN THE ADMINISTRATION WAS REQUIRED BY LAW TO CUT OFF
THAT FUNDING. THAT IS THE DIFFERENCE.
SO, LEFT AND RIGHT CAN GO BACK AND FORTH BUT THIS
ADMINISTRATION DOES BELIEVE THEY WERE UNDER FEDERAL LAW TO
DO IT AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO POINT OUT THAT THE AUDITOR,
THEY COMPANY THAT THEY BROUGHT IN, IS AN APPROVED AUDITOR BY
THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION. SO, YOU KNOW, TO HAVE SO MANY
DEMOCRATS IN THE STATE CRITICIZING THE CHOICE OF THE
AUDITING COMPANY -- >> APPROVED BY THE
ADMINISTRATION TO DO WHAT, TO EXIST --
>> TO DO THE AUDIT. >> OKAY.
>> I AM NOT SURE WHAT THE POINT IS.
>> THEY CHOSE AUDITORS APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL
GOVERNMENT. ADMINISTRATION IS NOT RUN BY
REPUBLICANS SO THESE PEOPLE WERE VETTED BY THE OBAMA
ADMINISTRATION TO CHOOSE FROM THIS LIST.
THEY CHOSE ONE. >> ONE FURTHER, TOO, THE WOMAN
WHO IS IN CHARGE OF THE GROUP, I FORGET THE NAME OF IT THAT
ACTUALLY WENT AHEAD AND IDENTIFIED THE AUDITORS, WAS
ONE OF THE FORMER CABINET SECRETARY FOR GOVERNOR
RICHARDSON, SO, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT A PARTISAN ISSUE.
THEY ARE LOOKING INTO MEDICAID FRAUD ALL ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
>> I HEAR YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT -- JUST UNDER
A MINUTE HERE, BUT QUICKLY AROUND THE TABLE.
THE IDEA THAT YOU CAN HAVE PRIVATELY OWNED COMPANIES THAT
ARE TAKING FEDERAL MONEY, BUT, IN EFFECT, JUST THE GOVERNMENT
TELLING THEM YOU'RE OUT OF BUSINESS AND THESE OTHER
OUT-OF-STATE PEOPLE ARE NOW TAKING OVER YOUR BUSINESS.
>> THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
>> THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
>> THE ARIZONA COMPANY IS A PRIVATE COMPANY.
>> IT FEELS LIKE A FANTASTICALLY ANTI --
>> NOT AT ALL. I GOT TO STOP YOU, GENE.
THAT IS WRONG BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT AN ALLEGED ACCUSATION.
>> WHO GETS TO CHOOSE? >> IT IS ABOUT AN ALLEGED
ALLEGATION OF 35 MILLION OF MONEY THAT SHOULD BE GOING TO
TREAT THE MOST NEEDY PEOPLE IN OUR SOCIETY.
IT IS GETTING THEM THE SERVICES THEY NEED.
JUST LIKE MARTHA SAID, CONTINUATION OF COVERAGE,
GETTING PEOPLE WE NEED TO DO THE JOB.
THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT AND PEOPLE WANT TO TURN IT INTO
SOME PARTISAN WHICH AT 35 MILLION BUCKS IS A TON OF
MONEY IN NEW MEXICO. [MULTIPLE VOICES]
>> THAT IS WHY THEY ARE INVESTIGATING.
IF YOU RECEIVE FEDERAL DOLLARS --
>> TO MY POINT, HOW DO YOU TAKE OVER PRIVATE BUSINESSES.
>> IT IS NOT A PRIVATE BUSINESS.
>> THAT IS NOT WHAT THEY ARE DOING.
[MULTIPLE VOICES] >> THEY CAN OPERATE OUT OF THE
PRIVATE SECTOR ALL DAY LONG. >> THEY ARE NOT TAKING OVER
ANYTHING. >> I APOLOGIZE, WE WILL DO
EXTRA STUFF ON THE INTERNET. IN A MOMENT WE'RE BACK TO TALK
SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WITH TWO COUPLES SUING THE STATE.