PRESS RELEASE FROM THE GOVERNOR: Today, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced the appointment of Stuart W. Bowen, Jr., as Inspector General for the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for a term to expire Feb. 1, 2016. The inspector general … Read More
David Gibson, CEO from Reflective Medical, one of the companies that demonstrated their Medicaid fraud detection software to HHSC back in 2010 and 2011, sent TDMR links to a couple of YouTube videos that show the kind of fraud that … Read More
Today, Sen. John Whitmire sent a letter to HHSC Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek suggesting he resign immediately for “the best interest of the State of Texas.” “Enough is enough” The Austin American Statesman quoted Whitmire as telling them, “Enough is enough. I … Read More
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission sent out a report today that a study has found that in 2011 more children enrolled with the Texas Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) had received dental care than the national average. – … Read More
In an era when Texas government is supposed to be efficient, cost-effective and mindful of taxpayer dollars, a miracle to be emulated by other states thanks to the Perry administration, the media continues to uncover incredible betrayals of public trust … Read More
Today, HHSC-OIG issued a report detailing amounts recovered by state managed care organizations for certain fraud and abuse in state fiscal year 2014. 22 MCOs recover $3.8 million The report entitled “HHSC OIG Annual Report on Certain Fraud and Abuse … Read More
A former aide to Jack Stick, hired by Stick when he was the OIG deputy inspector general for enforcement, has now been demoted and seen his salary cut, according to a late breaking story in the Austin American Statesman. The Texas Tribune has … Read More
While Texas is in drought, the bad news floodgates have opened even wider at HHSC with a further state report about inept and costly contract mismanagment. This time with AT&T. Ballooned from $1 million to $110 million Today, the Dallas Morning News jumped … Read More
*Editor’s note: This story has been updated throughout. Texas Health and Human Services Commission chief Kyle Janek said Tuesday he was misled in briefings on a no-bid, $110 million deal handed to an Austin company for unproven software to detect Medicaid … Read More
TDMR has learned today that OIG administrative actions against a number of dental providers that have been accused of “credible allegations of fraud” have been nonsuited by OIG. UPDATE: Here is the document State v. Dentists The affected providers include Antoine Dental … Read More
According to a story in the Austin American Statesman today, the leadership of HHSC Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek is being questioned by state Sen. John Whitmire in the upheaval that is shaking HHSC over the now-canceled multi-million dollar contract for … Read More
AUSTIN — Jack Stick has left the building. The high-ranking Texas Health and Human Services Commission official, who submitted his resignation last Friday amid evidence of contracting favoritism, had planned to stay on the job until early next year, but instead … Read More
Health and Human Services Commission Inspector General Doug Wilson resigned Friday, scarcely more than an hour after the state auditor announced it would launch an investigation into no-bid contracts brokered under his watch in conjunction with an anti-public corruption at … Read More
AUSTIN – The Travis County District Attorney’s office and the Texas State Auditor will investigate how a company here won $110 million in state contracts without any competition, officials announced Thursday as the deals drew increasing condemnation and calls for … Read More
A spokesman for House Speaker Joe Straus on Thursday said the House will propose “a budget in January that requires much more stringent reporting on contracts by state agencies and institutions.” Jason Embry sent the statement in response to inquiries … Read More
Within the last 24 hours, major media in Texas have published stories on their continuing investigations into former OIG deputy inspector general for enforcement Jack Stick and his allegedly favored treatment of an Austin software company for Medicaid fraud detection … Read More
It is now official – Jack Stick, HHSC Chief Counsel and former OIG deputy inspector general for enforcement, has resigned from HHSC over published allegations of interference in the HHSC contracting process on two contracts – one for data mining software … Read More
In today’s public hearings, members of the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission passed staff recommendations and supplemental additions made by a special work group, relating to the Health and Human Services Commission Office of the Inspector General. The final report is now online and … Read More
On November 12th, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission held public hearings on the Health and Human Services Commission with staff from both the Commission and HHSC staff testifying. The subject of the hearings was the 184-page report put together by … Read More
The Statesman reports today that HHSC’s chief counsel Jack Stick, former OIG director for enforcement, who steered business to an Austin software firm for OIG Medicaid fraud detection data mining software, has for years had close connections to the firm’s … Read More
Houston Chronicle business columnist Chris Tomlinson blasted the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General for its treatment of Medicaid providers in his column Wednesday. His criticism however goes further than OIG and alleges that OIG’s overzealousness … Read More
Today, the Texas 3rd Court of Appeals overturned a lower court decision and negated Health and Human Services Commission rules that allow for the Office of Inspector General to place Medicaid payment holds in certain circumstances, basically for only program violations … Read More
In a letter to the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission, TDMR President Gregory Ewing has recommended, based on the testimony in the public hearings held last week, that all pending OIG cases be stayed for external review. All pending cases should … Read More
Last Thursday, November 13th, the Texas Sunset Advisory Commission held public hearings about its staff report on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission that was released in October. The Commission heard over nine straight hours of submissions from various … Read More
The Austin American Statesman reported this weekend that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General is finalizing a deal with an Austin company for Medicaid fraud detection software. The company involved, 21CT, is primarily a defense … Read More
The Texas Sunset Commission held public hearing both Wednesday and Thursday this week on the Health and Human Services Commission as well as its beleaguered Office of Inspector General. Sunset and HHSC staff testified on Wednesday about the recent Sunset Commission … Read More
TDMR is republishing this very descriptive and apt blog post. A Senseless Fraud Prosecution Victimized Doctor And Patients by Larry M. Elkin, CPA, CFP® In the complicated world of medical and dental care, billing mistakes happen. Add a complicated government … Read More
From the blog of Knicole Emanuel, a NC Medicaid attorney. Whew…the election is over. No more political ads, emails, and other propaganda… Ok, so we have our new elected officials, now our new elected officials need to pass some new … Read More
This past week, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission published on their website a circular about the process for audits being done by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) on Medicaid providers in Texas. All Medicaid providers in … Read More
The latest edition of the Texas Health and Human Service Commission’s online newsletter InTouch says that OIG is bringing in an outside firm to review its investigative, sampling and extrapolation processes in light of the recent scathing Sunset Commission staff report on … Read More
The Sunset Commission has set out their agenda for the upcoming public hearings on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to be held on Wednesday and Thursday, November 12 and 13. Meeting materials will be available on the Sunset … Read More
The Texas Rangers are now investigating the Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General and the firing of actuary Brad Nelson per a story in the Houston Chronicle. The Commission requested the investigation after Nelson was fired for … Read More
The 3rd Texas Court of Appeals has agreed with a Travis County District Court judge and has issued a ruling that the Office of the Inspector General should return over $1.2 million in withheld Medicaid funds to Harlingen Family Dentistry. TDMR received a … Read More
The Austin American Statesman reported this morning that Rep. Richard Peña Raymond, D-Laredo, has requested that the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Office of Inspector General review all Medicaid cases that were worked on by the now-terminated actuary that admitted to … Read More
It appears other states besides Texas are having problems with their Medicaid fraud investigations. Jury found innocent Per a news report in the Concord Register, a New Hampshire orthodontist, after a two day trial, was found innocent of 45 counts of … Read More
A Texas Health and Human Services Commission employee in the Office of the Inspector General was fired because he apparently “cooked the books” in OIG’s case against Dr. Rachel Trueblood, according to a story published in the Austin American Statesman … Read More
Another HHS-OIG audit about to be released of the Texas Medicaid program will cost Texas another $30 million, according to a story in this morning’s Austin American Statesman. The federal audit covers 2011 for non-emergency medical transportation services. The article reports … Read More
This past week HHSC released a report on executive compensation within HHSC. (Staff Compensation) Per the report, the average base salary for non-executive staff on August 31, 2014 was $37,326. The following table is excerpted from the report to show only … Read More
Two weeks ago, the Texas Office of the Attorney General quietly filed a lawsuit against yet another company associated with Texas Medicaid – the drug company AstroZeneca. Millions of dollars in excess reimbursements It accuses the company of defrauding the Texas … Read More
This past Friday, TDMR sent its comments about the recent Sunset Commission staff report on the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to the Texas Sunset Commission. The following is what was sent from TDMR president Gregory Ewing. A downloadable … Read More
