Insightful work tracking how bills passed without built-in accountability later become fraud vectors. The lack of provider qualification standards and audit requirementsisn't just oversight, it's basicaly handing out blank checks and hoping people do the right thing. Seen this pattern with several Medicaid programs where the urgency to "do something" overides the boring work of setting up enforcement mechanisms upfront.
Excellent analysis of a broken system. It will take a very strong leadership to address these serious organizational issues and the media can help educate the public, if it is done in a fair and balanced way....which is something you excel at, Terry. It can all wait until next year while you take a well deserved break and enjoy the holidays.
This is such a good piece Terry. You've been tracking this stuff all along, and with facts to back it all up. More light than heat, as they say, and there's plenty of heat in most news stories these days. Glad you are taking a break. And those are really beautiful and unique cookies!
What th'...? Robbins is not "seek(ing) to find fraud" in the program - There IS fraud in the program. And... what? - She should NOT have supported the bill?!? Seriously? This is the sort of bill that Republicans typically do not support... and DFLers typically criticize them for that lack of support. Personally, I find it kind of noble that a Legislator who supported a bill would be open to investigating and exposing fraud and abuse in the program the bill established. It would be nice if more of our DFLers were interested in pursuing this, wherever it leads, and whoever's "ox is gored". Terry's point about bills getting less than needed scrutiny, especially when it comes to asking "How could this, as written, be abused by bad actors?" is spot-on, and is something I've badgered legislators over for years. But this comment is just plain unfair - and the attitude behind it is unwise if we really want legislators of BOTH parties to do the best jobs they are capable of.
I'd be more inclined to agree with you were this not the middle of a big election cycle. lots of politics going on there...and as I've said over and over, this will be investigated and people will go to jail.
What an odd response...! It's Jan. 1. of a Federal mid-term, and MN statewide offices, election year. And all of the Robbins actions to which you apparently object happened over time in the recent past. If each of those particular dates are in "the middle of a big election cycle", are there particular days on the calendar you use that are not in "the middle of an election cycle"? - and that would thus be days you would accept an argument for which you apparently have no substantive rebuttal? Of COURSE there are "politics" going on here. We are talking about the actions of politicians. The fact that "this will be investigated" (passive voice) and people will go to jail is not good enough. I want MY party's office-holders to at least LOOK like they care about solving this problem (including not just jailing perpetrators, but also preventing continuation or recurrence), rather than constantly nit-picking the latest revelations from GOP-connected sources as though revealing that one minor detail or another being wrong will somehow make the whole issue go away.
Insightful work tracking how bills passed without built-in accountability later become fraud vectors. The lack of provider qualification standards and audit requirementsisn't just oversight, it's basicaly handing out blank checks and hoping people do the right thing. Seen this pattern with several Medicaid programs where the urgency to "do something" overides the boring work of setting up enforcement mechanisms upfront.
Excellent analysis of a broken system. It will take a very strong leadership to address these serious organizational issues and the media can help educate the public, if it is done in a fair and balanced way....which is something you excel at, Terry. It can all wait until next year while you take a well deserved break and enjoy the holidays.
This is such a good piece Terry. You've been tracking this stuff all along, and with facts to back it all up. More light than heat, as they say, and there's plenty of heat in most news stories these days. Glad you are taking a break. And those are really beautiful and unique cookies!
You're doing God's work Terry. I look forward to continuing to read and support your journalism.
Thank you! And Happy Holidays.
How interesting that Robbins supported the bill and now seeks to find fraud in it. And running for Governor...hmmm.
What th'...? Robbins is not "seek(ing) to find fraud" in the program - There IS fraud in the program. And... what? - She should NOT have supported the bill?!? Seriously? This is the sort of bill that Republicans typically do not support... and DFLers typically criticize them for that lack of support. Personally, I find it kind of noble that a Legislator who supported a bill would be open to investigating and exposing fraud and abuse in the program the bill established. It would be nice if more of our DFLers were interested in pursuing this, wherever it leads, and whoever's "ox is gored". Terry's point about bills getting less than needed scrutiny, especially when it comes to asking "How could this, as written, be abused by bad actors?" is spot-on, and is something I've badgered legislators over for years. But this comment is just plain unfair - and the attitude behind it is unwise if we really want legislators of BOTH parties to do the best jobs they are capable of.
I'd be more inclined to agree with you were this not the middle of a big election cycle. lots of politics going on there...and as I've said over and over, this will be investigated and people will go to jail.
What an odd response...! It's Jan. 1. of a Federal mid-term, and MN statewide offices, election year. And all of the Robbins actions to which you apparently object happened over time in the recent past. If each of those particular dates are in "the middle of a big election cycle", are there particular days on the calendar you use that are not in "the middle of an election cycle"? - and that would thus be days you would accept an argument for which you apparently have no substantive rebuttal? Of COURSE there are "politics" going on here. We are talking about the actions of politicians. The fact that "this will be investigated" (passive voice) and people will go to jail is not good enough. I want MY party's office-holders to at least LOOK like they care about solving this problem (including not just jailing perpetrators, but also preventing continuation or recurrence), rather than constantly nit-picking the latest revelations from GOP-connected sources as though revealing that one minor detail or another being wrong will somehow make the whole issue go away.
I think all your dreams will come true. For now, I'm out of this debate.
Great article Terry, especially the media's role in going for headlines more than substantive analysis.
Here's hoping you'l 2026 will bring you more subscribers.