CapitolFax.com - Latest Comments in The truth trickles out

Re: The truth trickles out

Anonymous — Fri, 14 Jul 2006 18:13:37 -0000

Well, there is the argument that the US health care problem could be solved by simply expanding Medicare eligibility to all citizens over a phase-in period by age cohorts. The US is certainly wealthy enough to do this, but it's probably going to be a while.

While it may be politically expedient to focus on the small number of uninsured children in Illinois as recipients of state government largesse, the real problem is uninsured adults...around a million, I believe. It's easy to insure a few thousand kids, but much harder to do the political work necessary to provide health insurance to all Illinoisians. The money is certainly there, but Blago doesn't have the brains or the work ethic necessary to provide
universal health care as in Massachusets.

Re: The truth trickles out

Anonymous — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 00:19:08 -0000

So is Whitney going to have the state directly hire all the actuarials, administrators, marketers, operators, claims reps, adjustors, medical people to review claims, auditors, investment specialists, etc. and create a massive new government bureaucracy?

Or would it be wiser to contract with professional insurance companies that really know what they're doing and let them compete in providing government paid health insurance to the poor?

Or might it be wiser to invest those dollars in education rather than handouts and encourage people to learn how to fish for a lifetime?

Re: The truth trickles out

Squideshi — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 19:28:19 -0000

All Kids is just a gimmick. What we really need is single-payor universal healthcare in Illinois, like Rich Whitney is proposing. It would be like "medicare for everyone."

Re: The truth trickles out

Garp — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 18:09:33 -0000

My buddy has had his kids enrolled in the state subsidized health care plan for years even though he makes a ton of money. It's nice to know that he can now swindle the taxpayers on the up and up.

Maybe Rod can return some of the premiums I have been paying for years. I bet that program would get a lot of takers.

Re: The truth trickles out

Disgusted — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 15:05:16 -0000

A Friend: Organized, well-marketed advertising plan??? Huh?? A person who works for one of the print shops producing the application, flyers, promos, etc. for AllKids told me they got five different calls from five different people at the outreach office responsible for promoting this program, all of them asking for five different quantities of the same form. Talk about well-organized! As long as they get the publicity for the boss, organization doesn't matter.

Re: The truth trickles out

foleyma — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 12:53:17 -0000

Well, not that this is your business, but we had already sent a check foor July, and that is to what the letter writer was referring.

I guess this shows that folks who post information without knowing the whole story are ... uh ... irresponsible?

Re: The truth trickles out

B Hicks — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:50:02 -0000

Anonie!

You're arrogant and thin skinned.

Relax man, fire one up.

Re: The truth trickles out

Louis G. Atsaves — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 11:00:28 -0000

After reading all these comments, I still have a question:

Why is this program named the "Governor Rod Blagojevich All Kid's Program"? If Topinka and White are forbidden by law from slapping their names on programs run out of their offices, then doesn't that law also apply to the governor's office?

Just wondering.

Louis G. Atsaves

Re: The truth trickles out

Rich Miller — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:31:04 -0000

Bill, I thought you told me you were leaving and never coming back?

Perhaps, Bill, you will recall that you were put in time out because you crossed a line that I specifically asked my readers not to cross. You got tired of waiting for your parole and stomped off in a huff. Maybe you should change your name to "Bill from self-exile."

Re: The truth trickles out

schroedk — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:23:08 -0000

To Anonymous at 5:39 a.m. Many clinics can (and do) cap the number of medicaid patients that they'll accept. They do this once they figure out the percentage above which their business would become unprofitable. It's figured in much the same way as "charity care", or how many people can I afford to give free care to before I go bankrupt. Unfortunately, some clinics/physicians have more latitude in figuring out the percentage of medicaid patients they'll accept, because their area includes a lot of private insurance or at least well-off patients. Where we are located (west-central Illinois about an hour from Quincy, Springfield, and Peoria), the percentage of medicaid recipients is actually around 60%-70%. Therefore, if we were to cap our medicaid load at 25-30% of total patients (like most clinics try to), it would not benefit us because we'd be treating far fewer patients total, not just a different mix of patients. Plus, if word got out around our small community that patients were being turned away specifically because they were medicaid recipients, PR would be down the toilet. So to answer your question, no, we are not REQUIRED to accept any and all medicaid patients, but there are many areas of this state where it's impossible to limit the number you see in order to remain financially stable because they make up a majority of the population you serve.

Re: The truth trickles out

Check the numbers — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:22:17 -0000

Some points to consider:

First, children are much less costly to cover than the elderly or disabled, so from a financial perspective, All Kids was low-hanging fruit. Most people don't know that George Ryan's administration expanded Medicaid coverage to the aged and disabled for three consecutive years and spent significantly more doing so than will Governor Blagojevich's All Kids. The major diference - less fanfare, more results. This doesn't make me a George Ryan fan - in fact, far from it. I'm glad he is being punished. My point is that it's possible to govern without politically exploiting the people you're helping.

Second, don't misrepresent the numbers. Unfortunately, HFS staff were asked to be numeric contortionists to get to 45,000. The All Kids expansion piece is 5,000. Say 5,000. HFS signs up new children for their existing programs every month and others fall off the rolls. You shouldn't count months of new Medicaid enrollees as All Kids enrollees because many were destined for the Medicaid/KidCare rolls anyway.

And third, access to care is going to be a major problem until Medicaid becomes a better payer. And not just for AK enrollees, but for current Medicaid/Kidcare children also.

Re: The truth trickles out

Bill from exile — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 08:03:21 -0000

It is interesting but not suprising that Rich constatnly eggs on the anti-Blago forces with loaded questions so that they can spew their venom but when individuals defend All Kids or any other of the governor's accomplishments, they are accused of being co-ordinated campaign staffers. Is it really beyond comprehension that the real public supports health insurance for children in Illinois?
Go ahead censor me again. The truth will win on election day.

Re: The truth trickles out

Doc's Kid — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:40:15 -0000

Ã¢â‚¬Å“She no longer accepts Illinois medicaid patients. Too bad we donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have that luxury.Ã¢â‚¬Â

Sometimes it is a financial necessity to stop seeing patients who don't pay their bills. In the case of medicaid paitents - it is the state that is not paying the bill. In anycase, it always reverts back to the patient if insurance doesn't pay the bill. The second thing is that medicaid only pays a small portion of a doctor's fee.

Re: The truth trickles out

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 07:06:36 -0000

How did All Kids calculate premiums? Did the state hire actuarials to run statistical analysis? Did the state hire insurance managers to set up the entire program?

The way insurance works is you pay me now, along with many other people, with the committment that I'll invest the money wisely so it will be there for you when you really need it.

Insurance companies collapse because they take in the money and feel rich, so they raise salaries and benefits of staff, buy new buildings, and make risky investments. Later the customers show up with bills but their collective money has been spent or lost and the company goes bankrupt leaving customers in the cold.

The key is finding a reputable and responsible company you can trust with your money, so you check auditor financial ratings. Government doesn't go bankrupt, because it can raise taxes to pay for mistakes.

If private businesses can't trust IL government to pay its bills, then the state has to hire (with benefits) all the professionals needed to duplicate program infrastructure already established in the marketplace.

All Kids and other Medicaid programs would be far more efficient if IL government contracted with reputable private insurers to set up and operate the programs, including marketing to fully cover kids in need. Were reputable insurers even asked to bid for the program? If so, did insurers trust IL government to pay the bills?

Re: The truth trickles out

Anonymous — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 06:39:27 -0000

"She no longer accepts Illinois medicaid patients. Too bad we donÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t have that luxury."

Are you saying IL medical providers are mandated to accept all medicaid and All Kids patients?

Re: The truth trickles out

Jeff — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 02:21:05 -0000

Rod Blagojevich and All Kids was briefly mentioned on the Colbert Report tonight on Comedy Central.... funny stuff!

Re: The truth trickles out

Schiznitz — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:41:46 -0000

Rich,

We are all partisan to something, but how about publishing some IP addresses or making them visible so the army of computer warriors can analyze.

There used to be a Republican dork who went to the Kinkos next to his house so he could post "anonymously". He was busted by people looking at IP's. How about making them visible until November 8th.

Re: The truth trickles out

schroedk — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:31:51 -0000

Obviously as a medical professional, I'm biased somewhat in this debate. I try to explain the true financial situation to people on the "outside" of health care, but it's difficult for them to understand. Here's my attempt at an analogy to help lift the veil of medicaid payments.

Pretend you own a grocery store. You see it as your role in life to provide food for everyone else. The state comes to you and says, you know, there are unfortunately some people that can't afford your food, so we're going to pay the bill for them. And since we know better than you or them what they should buy, here's a list of what we'll pay for. If you give them something that's not on the list, even if they really need it, we won't pay for it. Oh, and we'll probably change the list about every month or two, so try to keep yourself informed. Anyway, it's a great plan, and you're helping a lot of people, so just send us the bill.

So you start your business, and about 30%-70% (depending on what part of the state you live in) of your customers are on the state plan because the state says that they qualify. So you give them their food, and after awhile you send a bill to the state. And you wait a month, and nothing. You wait another month; nothing. And another month, nothing, so you call the state and they tell you oh, you'll get your money soon, just hang tight. So you wait another month, but now the people that supply the food to you really want to get paid, as do your employees. FINALLY, you get a check in the mail, but, uh-oh, it's only for about half of what you spent to buy and provide the food for in the first place. Silly you, you only charged what it actually cost you to do business. I guess to make up for the shortfall, you'd better charge your other customers MORE for their food.

So you struggle and make do with this system for a couple of years. Then one day, the state comes back and tells you it found even MORE people that can't pay for their food, so go ahead and give them their food and send us the bill. Now, how many grocery store owners would be jumping for joy at a plan like this and think that it will work???? Not many.

Now, obviously, the analogy is not airtight, but you get a general idea of why health care providers, and those who understand the system somewhat, are not too keen on this All Kids plan.

Re: The truth trickles out

"Rod" — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:01:53 -0000

A Friend,

A nice job! A very slick soft shoe. But a few points.

1. No one's stopping you from speaking, so don't imply that.

2. You praise the "pretty organized marketing plan." You mock us and say "WeÃ¢â‚¬â„¢re talking about helping uninsured children, and we shouldnÃ¢â‚¬â„¢t hold them hostage to partisan driven debates."

Good. I'm glad you support the plan in full, and your conscience is now clear, as you are helping children, and we are the obvious heartless ogres. Fine.

3. Indeed, let's "move on," to finance. I notice you did not mention much more than "They have the funding in place to cover these kids." Are you so sure? This is a Governor that calls his budget "balanced" through shell games, while millions remain unpaid to medical professionals taking care of your "kids." But, regardless, I'm very glad your conscience is clear.

How about the millions he has now, quite obviously squandered in self-promoting through this plan? How about the fact he has spent millions "reaching out" through his "pretty organized marketing plan" (marketing for whom is the question, of course), just to find that 90% of these kids are already subject to coverage if the state had simply mounted a far less expensive campaign, without partisan politics (let's face it, behind the face paint of compassion, that is a major part of what All Kids is all about), to find them? How many kids' medical care, how many schools - whatever heartstring you choose to tug on - could we have paid for with that money? But, regardless, I'm very glad your conscience is clear.

If you are going to buy what this Governor is selling, then you are his lawful prey. We decline.

Re: The truth trickles out

Yellow Dog Democrat — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:51:51 -0000

Jim Collins is one of the smartest guys I've ever read. He said of the business world "Good is the enemy of Great." In other words, good companies fail to become great companies because it's much easier to keep plodding along like a dinosaur than it is to evolve. Until a meteor hits, of course.

I believe that, in the public sector, "Mediocre is the enemy of Great." It is easy to be a mediocre president; if we aren't all wiped out in a terrorist attack, you've done your job. It's easy to be a mediocre governor; if we aren't all wiped out by a hurricane, you've done your job. It's easy to be a mediocre mayor; if we aren't all wiped out by a catastrophic fire, you've done your job.

Unfortunately, wave after wave of mediocre government eventually erodes public faith in our democracy. Government becomes something to be mocked, or worse, feared. That is why people lost faith in the welfare system. That is why people are losing faith in public education. That is why people are afraid of a universal, public health care system.

Rod Blagojevich's mismanagement of the public trust is doing more damage to democratic ideals than Judy Baar Topinka could ever do. It is not enough to have good, big ideas. They must be well-implemented. And Blagojevich's decision to inflate the numbers of a good program that was well-intended nd much needed only further underminesd future efforts to aid those in need.

Re: The truth trickles out

JohnR — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:39:54 -0000

Anonie! said:
"Why do we need to invest millions of tax dollars to creat AllKids and run it when Blago could have just signed-up the 40,000 for those exisiting state programs that we are ALREADY spending millions of tax dollars on? You think running duplicate programs is a responsible use of tax dollars when we are BILLIONS in debt? We could have just expanded the exsiting programs a bit to cover the other 5000."

Great idea! Except... that is exactly what happened.

Oh no! Do you find yourself agreeing with the Governor on this one!?

Heaven forbid!

Re: The truth trickles out

"Rod" — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:29:45 -0000

_____ Park, does that mean you are going to come up with the $200,000 the state hasn't paid the poor therapist and his wife for the child medical care they rendered at the request of the state, or the millions more unpaid?

Re: The truth trickles out

Anonie! — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:27:52 -0000

A question for all those who keep saying its great that Blago signed-up 40,000 who qualified for existing services but weren't participating:
Why do we need to invest millions of tax dollars to creat AllKids and run it when Blago could have just signed-up the 40,000 for those exisiting state programs that we are ALREADY spending millions of tax dollars on? You think running duplicate programs is a responsible use of tax dollars when we are BILLIONS in debt? We could have just expanded the exsiting programs a bit to cover the other 5000.
Blago's next idea: AllRoads. New state highways built right next to the existing ones, for drivers who didn't know the old ones were there or didn't want to use them.
Then: AllMansions. A new governor's mansion, built right next to the existing mansion, for Illinois governors who could live in the old one but have chosen not to.
And Finally: AllClout. A new illegal hiring list for state jobs, kept right next to the existing illegal hiring list, for Blago department heads who were either unaware of the old list or though the Feds had already confiscated it.

Re: The truth trickles out

a friend — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:22:22 -0000

It is laughable that "rod" and "buck flagojevich" hide behind their monikers while accusing one-namer bloggers of being blago staffers just because they support a program that helps uninsured kids get healthcare that happens to have been create by this gov.

I'm sure rich didn't create this blog for blago-haters only, so let people exercise their right to express an opinions, even if it doesn't mesh with yours. Speaking of opinions, I think it's time to remove the partisan charged rhetoric and "gotcha" punditry here and look at the facts:

1. Whether you like this admin or not, they seem to have put together a pretty organized marketing plan to enroll kids and have had success in doing so. Half the battle is reaching out to those who need this help. Anyone in community-based organizing will tell you that the most needy often get left behind because government doesn't know how to reach them. I don't think anyone could say that the state has failed in that respect. And, who cares how many all-kids eligible vs kidcare eligible children were enrolled? Uninsured kids are uninsured kids. I think that's tjhe whole everlovin' point of "All Kids" in the first place.

2. They have the funding in place to cover these kids. Kids are the least expensive to cover and those costs do not have a significant impact on the state's medicaid budget (compared with prescription drugs, which makes up about 65% of this budget). Get over your cynicism here. We're talking about helping uninsured children, and we shouldn't hold them hostage to partisan driven debates.

3. All credible studies show that kids who are healthy are better prepared to learn and be more productive. If a kid can't read a blackboard or misses days because they have illnesses that go untreated, putting even a billion more dollars into higher ed to serve the next generation of kids won't matter. Putting more money into higher ed isn't a bad thing in and of itself (although pur public universities have a notorious history of spending too much on admin). But, unhealthy 6 and 7 years olds won't have as much of a chance to get into college.

Let's move on folks, shall we?

Re: The truth trickles out

____Park, IL — Wed, 12 Jul 2006 00:13:29 -0000

Rich,

I think what you are seeing here is a lot of people from all over the state who like this All Kids idea and want to see it be a success. I am one of them. Sure, there might be a few Blago campaign staffers commenting tonight, but don't take that away from the rest of us.

Look, we all know the rest of your regulars aren't independent voices anyway. Whether they be bored and disgruntled legislative staffers or state workers, or actively or formerly working for campaigns, this blog is full of the anti-blago crowd.

I am in the pro-All Kids crowd. I have helped to volunteer to get the word out to families on how they can sign up. I have helped get information out to doctors and medical providers.

There are literally thousands of us in the children's healthcare and child advocacy universe in Illinois who have worked hard to try and make All Kids a reality for families across the state.

We are not on this board defending the Governor. We are here defending all the work we have done that we know has been for a good cause.

And when you make fase claims that we have done nothing to reach these families, you aren't just targeting the governor, you are taking a cheap shot at us.

Listen to all us non-regulars here today. We are not a massive counter-spin operation. We are the front lines. We came here to try to set the record straight, out of respect for Rich and his audience.

Maybe you all will listen, or you will just dismiss me as some kind of paid operative so you can let your little fantasy live. I don't care.

But know that what these people are saying is right. Anyone who works with HFS will tell you that the applications have been pouring in since they became available two months ago. They are working on processing over 5 times the number of applications they have ever had before.

This is real. The need is real. The demand is real.

We can't blame you though Rich... all you saw was a single line in an AP story without understanding the context behind it.