A recent scathing federal audit of Orange County’s, once showcase, provider of medical care for low-income residents found major problems with the agencies management of those services.
Details on the history of CalOPTIMA’s struggles here. All of this occurred on the heels of the Supervisor’s granting Supervisor Janet Nguyen unfettered control over the agency, as well as supporting her proposal to restructure the governing board to give hospitals more influence and control. Days after the action, led by Nguyen, local health care providers participating in CalOPTIMA held a major fundraising event to support Nguyen. The Voice of OC reports that California’s Department of Health Care Services will begin its own special review Monday of potential problems at CalOptima,
But that’s only a portion of the story.
When it came time last year to determine how much hospitals would be reimbursed by the County for medical services, the Board of Supervisors dismissed the advice of County staff and instead voted to give hospitals more, even reading from the lobbyist recommendations (starting at 15:15 in the video below) to help formulate a motion during the meeting.
This is just another example of how the politicians on the Orange County Board of Supervisors have awarded hundreds millions of dollars in contracts to campaign contributors, including companies convicted of fraud, and allowed special interest lobbyists to write laws to benefit themselves instead of Orange County residents.
These politicians actions are a poignant reminder of how they are out of control in their pay-to-play hunger for power, influence, and campaign cash; all at the expense of the taxpayers they claim to serve. Of the five Republicans on the board, one is running for Congress, one for State Senator, and one may run for District Attorney in the future, and their record on this matter needs to come to the attention of voters for the 2014 election cycle.
Watch the video for yourself.
Lets hope the audit is thorough.