Home > Political Insider > Archives > 2007 > August > 22
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Well, he’s not the Obama Girl, but……
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Vernon Jones is becoming something of a Youtube addict, this time with a message on Iraq. See it here.
The sound of dentists and lawyers drilling: Another confrontation between the House and Gov. Sonny Perdue?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday to prevent the booting of two dental outfits from the state Medicaid and PeachCare programs for kids.
The state Department of Community Health responded by announcing that it’s looking into charges of “poor care delivery” by one of the dental providers — Kool Smiles, which says it serves 71,000 Georgia kids whose parents can’t afford dental services.
The charges include, in the words of a press release: “unusual patterns of patient restraint”(such as use of restraining boards for children) and sedation vs. Traditional Pain Management (usage of Nitrous Oxide or IV sedation) compared to other dentists and normal averages.”
See the entire press release on the jump. The DCH refused all further comment.
We’re in hardball land here.
The DCH press release was in response to a State Capitol presser called by Kool Smiles. See an earlier post on the topic here.
State Rep. Ed Lindsey (R-Atlanta) is the chief litigator, officially representing a group of parents who might have their access to dentists cut off. He was also was the master of ceremonies at the Capitol event and had these details:
— The suit was filed an hour or so ago in U.S. District Court in Rome. (I’ll post a copy when I can);
— The lawsuit seeks class action status and a temporary restraining order;
— The general accusation is that the two health management agencies charged with oversight of Georgia’s Medicaid and PeachCare programs are cutting off legitimate recipients to pad their bottom line.
But here’s the interesting part: Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Department of Community Health has given the green light for these management companies to do what they did. The state agency is named in the federal lawsuit.
Lindsey says the governor and his minions aren’t mean. They just aren’t up on the right facts. Said Lindsey: “They, too, are a victim because they have been deceived by the two [Care Maintenance Organizations].”
Short of an immediate fix via the lawsuit, Lindsey said he was nearly certain the Republican leaders of his chamber, along with GOP senators in the Senate, would take up the cause of poor kids with cavities when the General Assembly convenes in January.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2007
CONTACT: Amanda Seals
DCH Statement Concerning Possible Class Action Lawsuit Regarding Medicaid Dental Services
No child in our Medicaid or PeachCare for KidsTM programs has lost dental benefits or been dropped from the program due to the contract disputes between Kool Smiles, P.C. and the care management organizations (CMO), Peach State Health Plan and WellCare of Georgia.
The Georgia Department of Community Health (DCH) will thoroughly investigate all the allegations received from parents/guardians of patients and other dentists concerning poor care delivery received from Kool Smiles, P.C.
The Department will also investigate allegations and concerns reported to DCH including but not limited to:
— Patterns of “over-utilization of services” and questions raised about the appropriateness of care delivered;
— “Unusual patterns of patient restraint”(such as use of restraining boards for children) and sedation vs. Traditional Pain Management (usage of Nitrous Oxide or IV sedation) compared to other dentists and normal averages;
— “Over-utilization of stainless steel crowns” in children compared to other dentists and normal averages;
— “Lower use of preventive care” (i.e.: fewer sealants used to prevent cavities per patient treated) compared to other dentists;
— “Over-utilization of X-rays” compared to other dentists and normal averages
The adequacy of the dental networks for both Peach State Health Plan and WellCare of Georgia are closely monitored and assessed by DCH.
In March 2007, the DCH Inspector General began an audit of Kool Smiles, P.C., which precedes the current contract termination between the CMOs and the provider. Until the audit is complete, the Department will offer no comment on that investigation.
DCH offers no comment during pending litigation. If included in the lawsuit, the State of Georgia will be represented by the Attorney General’s Office. Inquiries should be directed to the AG’s office.
According to Georgia Families records:
24,000 or five percent of current WellCare of Georgia members have received services from Kool Smiles, P.C. since implementation of the Georgia Families program 20,500 or seven percent current Peach State Health Plan members have received services from Kool Smiles, P.C. since implementation of the Georgia Families program
But conservatives are better at GameBoy
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
If you lack ammunition to bring to today’s water-cooler meeting, there’s this:
A new Associated Press poll says liberals read more books than conservatives.
Pat Schroeder, a former Colorado congresswoman and president of the American Association of Publishers, explained that conservatives prefer bumperstickers:
“The Karl Roves of the world have built a generation that just wants a couple slogans: ‘No, don’t raise my taxes, no new taxes,’” she said.
White House spokesman Tony Fratto said Schroeder was “confusing volume with quality.”
The AP-Ipsos poll found 22 percent of liberals and moderates said they had not read a book within the past year, compared with 34 percent of conservatives.
Among those who had read at least one book, liberals typically read nine books in the year, with half reading more than that and half less. Conservatives typically read eight, moderates five, the poll said.
By slightly wider margins, Democrats tended to read more books than Republicans and independents. There were no differences by political party in the percentage of those who said they had not read at least one book.
Where to find Vernon Jones’ TV ad
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Many thanks to Peachpundit for locating the youtube version of Vernon Jones’ TV ad. It’s been running Sunday mornings on “Georgia Gang” on WAGA-TV (Fox5).
The odd thing about the 30-second spot is that it doesn’t mention the words “Democrat” or “for U.S. Senate.”
A fight over dental care for kids is headed to court
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Get ready for yet another legal fight over health care.
Two health care groups, WellState and Peach State, handle many of the patients treated under the government-financed Medicaid and PeachCare programs.
They in turn had contracted with two other outfits to provide dental care: Kool Smiles, which served 71,000 children annually at 10 offices across the state, Help a Child Smile, a mobile program that treats 30,000 kids a year.
Kool Smiles and Help a Child Smile have now been dumped by both health maintenance groups.
But one of the dental groups, Kool Smiles, isn’t going quietly. It says the two health management organizations are out to cut costs by depriving kids of dental care. The companies argue that other dentists in its network can pick up the slack, and that patient care won’t suffer. The state Department of Community Health agrees.
At a press conference at 12:30 p.m. today, Kool Smiles will announce a class-action suit to block the severance of its contract.
Kool Smiles has lined up some impressive clout. House Speaker pro tem Mark Burkhalter (R-Alpharetta) wrote this in an op-ed piece last week:
“Officials with the [Care Maintenance Organizations] claim that other dentists will step in to see these patients, but that’s questionable. Kool Smiles had been treating 24 percent of the children under Medicaid and Peachcare.
“What’s even more infuriating is that the CMOs made this policy decision without consulting the General Assembly which funds the program. The state invited providers such as Kool Smiles into Georgia to run this managed care dental service for low-income kids. Now it is telling them to take a hike.”
Republican state Rep. Ed Lindsey of Atlanta is litigating the class-action case.
The Hollywood beat: Carter, Nunn and Thompson on film
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Movies are the topic of the day. Call it the Gore-ification of American politics.
Former President Jimmy Carter is going to the Venice International Film Festival this month. On celluloid.
Carter’s the topic of a documentary centered on his book about the Middle East: “Palestine: Peace not Apartheid.” The film’s title is “Jimmy Carter Man from Plains.”
You’ll like this: It’s was directed by the same fellow who directed “Silence of the Lambs.”
Likewise, many are noting the 2005 film convergence of Republican presidential maybe Fred Thompson and third-party presidential maybe Sam Nunn.
Here’s a Newsweek column that marked the HBO debut of “Last Best Chance,” a 45-minute docu-drama sponsored by Nunn’s Nuclear Threat Initiative.
Wrote Jonathan Alter:
“The film stars Fred Thompson, who apparently understands that he has more power to save the world as an actor playing the president on screen than he did as an actual senator from Tennessee.
“It lacks special effects (too expensive) and a satisfying ending (too unrealistic), but effectively offers an all-too-plausible scenario of how a Russian scientist desperate for cash could provide highly enriched uranium through middlemen to Arab jihadists.
“’So, American Hiroshima begins,’ says one terrorist. “
