There are conversations floating around the Texas capitol pointing to fraud with the medical transportation program. Some cite the HHSC March 2012 internal audit report as evidence that MTP needs a complete overhaul. The broker lobby claims they can end fraud once and for all if the state moves to a statewide broker system. You can find the HHSC audit report here.
While the report found some fraud, waste and abuse none of
it pertained to public transit agencies.
We interviewed a former HHSC executive who agreed to talk to
us under the condition of anonymity. He says, “The audit was more about us
(HHSC) than anything else. The fraud elements related to an incident in one of
our call centers in San Antonio and problems with advanced payments and ITPs
(Independent Transportation Providers.) We (HHSC) need to monitor that part of
MTP better but public transportation came out clean.”
And just for the record (and because we’re curious), what do
you think of the full-risk broker model?
“Snake oil, “ he says. “Pure and simple.”
Brokers will wave the banner of fraud to convince
policymakers to hand them the keys to the Medicaid car by lumping the problems
of ITP and advanced payment with the larger part of the program which includes
public transportation and qualified private providers.
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