Jindal Loves Rewarding Incompetence

 

Just recently the Jindal administration issued a legislative mandated evaluation report of the effectiveness of Bobby’s privatization of the Medicaid care system in Louisiana, known as the Bayou Health Plans. 

Naturally, the report was filled with positive statements about the improvement of the delivery of services while at the same time producing substantial monetary savings for our state.

In response to this report the state legislative auditor also evaluated this privatization effort and reported that the stated facts in the Jindal’s administration evaluation were NOT based upon an independent, unbiased assessment of the privatization plans.  It further stated Jindal’s evaluation lacked information supporting the “global assertions” of cost savings and improved health care cited in the report.

No matter, the contract has been continued.

However, the latest legislative auditor report is even more damning of Jindal’s privatization push.  This report is a follow up to one issued a year ago evaluating the privatization of the care of individuals in need of mental health services including substance abuse.  The initiative is called the Louisiana Behavioral Health Partnership and Magellan of Louisiana is the name of the private entity presently administering the services.

The present auditor’s report found the following:

Staffing levels had been reduced resulting in higher caseloads, longer waits for services, and reductions in the types of services delivered.

A failure to collect on third party billings, i.e. private insurance and Medicare, resulting in a loss of over $1 million in claims

A failure to meet the original contract requirement to link up with Louisiana’s Health Information Exchange to safely share clients’ information to improve patient safely and quality of care

A failure to reliably track patients’ care

However, here’s the kicker, the original contract was issued in March of 2012 for $357.6 million and ended February, 2014.  The initial state auditor’s report, conducted last year, raised several ‘red’ flags about the quality of services being provided by this privatization effort and the present report confirms that this effort is still a failure.  Yet the Jindal administration, along with assistance from puppets in both the state senate and house, EXTENDED this contract until February, 2015, and INCREASED the it by almost $200 million to $544.8 million.

Our Rhodes Scholar loves to continue using our hard-earned bucks to award incompetence, just to make it appear nationally that his privatization plans are working successfully in our state.

In summary, this privatization model is losing money, providing worse behavioral health services, and just was given $200 million more to continue.   Does Bobby really think the citizens of Louisiana believe his privatization models are more effective and less expensive than what we originally had?   Name just one that is working successfully.