Fellow President Obama Supporters and Former Ones"
AS the founder of the Obama Group named YESWECANSOLVEIT...
I have taken the liberty of forming still another group called
AmericaNOchange. I doubt this one gets approved.
Thought I'd better hurry and write this and send it to all groups that
I am still a member of before I am banned here forever. Why would
that happen? you ask. Because I just formed a new group with a little
kid yelling "Hey You" while flipping off the viewer. Hope the president
and his staff gets the message.
The esculation of the war in Aftganistan is the last straw. Three strikes
your out!
First, he keeps the same people on the payroll that got us into this
financial disaster. He let's Bush and Cheney walk scot-free. He continues
to bail out the banks, "all too big to fail" why they screw us in every way.
And tonight on national tv he will try to convience us all that the way to
end the war in Aftganistan is to exculate it. This did not work in Vietnam,
I know, because I volunteered to go there, and it will not work in Aftganistan.
To add insult to injury. The powers that be, the ones backing McCain in
my city in Northern California, are all meeting to determine what the same
good ole boys get to do with local stimulus funds...So my question is?
WHAT THE HELL HAS CHANGED IN AMERICAN PRESIDENT OBAMA?
I am so damned mad right now, I swear, if I could afford it, I'd trade in
my next presidential ballot for a passport.
Al Boek, Ex-Supporter of a One-Term President
earlallenboek@yahoo.com
530-549-4315
Redding, California
When the "racism fart" appears and "curls your hair" don't dwell on it like dwelling on your grandpa's farts, "crack the window", "cover it up with potpourri" ("change the subject"). - Thoughts by Stephen Colbert on 7-30-09 on the Colbert Report
Apparently the officer found it acceptable to arrest someone for asking for his name and a badge number. Their stories differ as to whether there was racial issues involved. Both Prof. Henry Louis Gates Jr. & Sgt. James Crowley are RIGHT in my opinion! I also fully agree that the whole situation was stupid and should never happen in that fashion. The blame however, is NOT with Gates or Crowley.
The problem is overly vague, over-used and abused, and unconstitutional Disorderly Conduct laws, as well as improper or inadequate training of officers. Under the present DC laws in America, even if you yell in an upset voice in your own home or on your own porch when DEFENDING your civil rights, the police can unbelievably state you are disorderly.
Sgt. Crowley was wrongfully taught, like all officers, that if they say anything to a citizen and the citizen doesn’t instantly comply he is disorderly or resisting arrest. Resisting arrest is also abused by the police. A natural instinct is to resist handcuffing as this really is an assault. The law should be changed and narrowed so that if one twitches one will not be charged with resisting arrest, and verbal tirades against the officer should not be considered resisting arrest. Officers are supposed to be professional, despite verbal abuse.
The Sgt. is taught to lure loud persons, even if they are simply loudly protesting violation of the law and their civil rights, out into a public area so they can claim the person is disorderly. Prof. Gates should realize that officers have the most rudimentary understanding and training in the law. This is why they over-reach and abuse DC, trespass, and resisting arrest laws. They really don’t know what they mean in detail and the laws are too over-reaching and/or vague, making them ripe for abuse.
There is a concept of “void for vagueness” in law that a criminal statute is unconstitutional because it is impermissably vague. The US Supreme Court needs to hear a case like that of Prof. Gates if he should sue for unlawful arrest, malicious prosecution, and violation of civil rights. They need to clarify these laws and narrow and define them better so the public knows what they can and cannot do and police will no longer be able to abuse these DC, trespass, and resisting arrest laws by arresting anyone who disagrees with them, twitches, or claims harassment or false arrest.
Prof. Gates is right that African-Americans are still profiled and abused by the police. However, I do not think this was Sgt. Crowley’s main issue. His main issue appears to be the fact that he is an omnipotent, all-powerful, officer with unlimited power, who has been given an inch of power and taught to take a mile of power, who must be instantly obeyed no matter what he says.
I don’t say this to criticize Sgt. Crowley – this is what he was taught and as an officer, this is constantly re-enforced in his training. He is not at fault. His training and the vague and easily abused law is at fault. This is his understanding of his DUTY under the law. He should be taught that people have rights and one can de-escalate a situation by backing off and shutting up, instead of being in a persons face and challenging them when they are upset by the wrongful or mistaken actions of others.
We should also be pleased that the police responded to the call of someone breaking in the house. Sgt. Crowley appropriately asked Gates to initially step outside because he was there alone, needed to protect himself in the open, didn’[t know if Gates was the burgler or the homeowner and if homeowner, didn’t know if a burglar was still inside. However, we should insist they receive more training so that when they come on a situation and find out it is different than what they were told, they don’t act like robots and proceed to act as if the information was true or lure someone into an arrest just because they are being verbally challenged. This is the part I consider stupid. The whole thing would have been different if the law was clarified and Crowley would have backed off and not considered Gates “disorderly.”
I urge Prof. Gates, Sgt. Crowley, and President Obama to acknowledge these facts. I would like the three of them to meet and discuss these issues and come up with a plan to solve the problem. AG Eric Holder should be part of this meeting. If Obama is truly a mediator – HE SHOULD DO THIS! I am very happy that the Pres. has decided to keep this on the front burner as a "teaching moment' and invite both gentlemen to the White House for a pow wow.
For a range of opinions on this matter see: http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/24/evening-buzz-the-president-the-professor-the-cop/
Actual copy of arrest reports (Sgt. Crowley’s story) see:
http://cnnac360.files.wordpress.com/2009/07/20120754.pdf
Prof. Gate’s story at:
http://archpundit.com/blog/2009/07/22/if-hed-just-obeyed-the-police-officer/
I am getting more and more disappointed. It appears the briefing book was just a carrot to get us to vote for Obama, but never was taken seriously by the Administration. Also I don't see any evidence that the Administration has heard the complaints about our corrupt justice system or the excess control over the health care reform package by Insurance Companies and Pharmaceutical Companies.
I fell we are being betrayed, misled, and abandoned. Use us and lose us. This blog is a waste!
Hi All,
Too often politicians spin terms to advance their agendas. Even to the point that, in a country created by the most liberal constitution known in history, the term "liberal" was turned to a nasty word.
A rose by any other name still smells as sweetly as a rose and calling torture “enhanced interrogation” still is inhumane and remains torture. The “enhanced interrogation technique” now known as “water boarding” that was not only permitted but also now known demanded under the Bush/Cheney administration is nothing less than “torture”. Politicians in the United States of America, since the time of John F. Kennedy, have learned to buy and sell the mass media. Allowing politicians to misguide the public by spinning words to reduce or increase the “sting” of the word. The current attempt of politicians to rename “torture”, as “enhanced interrogation, is a continuance of the deceptive policy of redefining terminology. Other “enhanced interrogation techniques” aside, the water torture now called “water boarding” is without doubt a form of torture. The attempt to define ‘water-boarding’ as ‘enhanced interrogation’ and not as ‘torture’ is purely political. It is an attempt to steer the public from the fact that the United States government under the auspice of the Bush/Cheney administration knowingly committed war crimes. Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz (Boston Globe 5-15-2004) probably coins the phrase, “water-boarding” in reference to a form of “water-torture”. Water boarding is, of course, actually a form of surfboarding. A great thing for the spinning of words for politicians, giving a form of water tortures the connotation of a sporting event. The United States of America was instrumental in drafting, defining and ratifying the terms of the 1948 documents outlawing wartime crimes. The United States was most adamant in this because of the inhuman treatment suffered by an astronomical amount of brave American soldiers, especially in the World Wars. War crimes under the Geneva Convention include, "...willful killing, torture or inhuman treatment (cruel treatment), including biological experiments, willfully causing great suffering or serious injury to body or health." Article 3 of the Geneva Convention extends the articles of the treatise to include those not classified as “prisoners of war”. Hence, the attempted spinning of “war prisoners” to “detainees” will not protect one from committing a war crime. The water torture now called "water-boarding" surpasses "inhuman treatment" and "willfully causing great suffering", which is also illegal under the convention standards. Water boarding is nothing less than "torture", if it were not so, it would still be a war crime under the Geneva Conventions. Torture is defined as an inflicting of physical punishment which causes someone extreme pain, physical or mental anguish. Water boarding is a water torture that causes extreme pain, physical anguish and mental anguish. Water boarding is a torture. Our own Federal Criminal Code defines torture as “the intentional infliction of severe mental pain or suffering," In the United States, that called ‘water-boarding’ has long been considered and defined as “torture. The water torture now called water boarding has been an illegal war activity for many years. John McCain, past Presidential nominee and torture victim during the Vietnam War, said of the water boarding technique that it is a “very exquisite torture”. In Vietnam, United States Generals reiterated that water boarding was illegal and they were serious. A U.S. soldier found guilty of water boarding in Vietnam and sent to prison. Water boarding has long been considered an illegal wartime crime of torture whereby the United States holds its own accountable. A definition of water boarding as torture that goes back as far as 1901. A United States Army major, in the Spanish/American War, when found guilty of water boarding received a sentence of 10 years at hard labor. Only in the past few years has this been an issue. When it leaked that the United States had water boarded “detainees” at Guantanamo. The “spin” began water torture became water boarding, like the sport. Water boarding became an “enhanced interrogation technique” as opposed to the torture that it is. It is a hard pill to swallow, the idea of holding, especially before the world, one’s own responsible for such actions. However, this is a very resilient country, one of pride, which should not become a false pride by the subversion of words. To ignore our own morality and ideals, those that we have projected to the World, will be far worse than calling torture what it is, torture.
So I finally have my website up and running...its been a long road, but I am finally done with the hard part. I am most proud of the Women in politics page. This page is dedicated to the women in politics...past and present. Right now there are some posts about both. Starting next week, there will be one interview per week that highlights a different woman that is involved in politics right now, and highlights there achievements, and struggles. If you would like to see a particular woman highlighted, feel free to go to the site and email me, or respond to me here.
There is also information about current political events, video blogs, and the 2010 races...as they are right now...more content will be coming as the days go on. Looking to make this a fun and interactive website...so stop by and tell me what you think...and make sure to check back often for the new content
Would love comments and feedback about what you think now...or any suggestions on content you would like to see in the future...www.thepoliknow.comThanks Trisha
This is a national disgrace and another embarassment for Illinois. Please read this link -
http://illinoiscorruption.blogspot.com/2009/04/gov-quinn-please-pardon-debra-gindorf.html
Contact Gov. Pat Quinn at:
Idol young people who have delayed educations, inadequate educations, and difficulty finding jobs are expected to delay marrying and having families. This fights biology as a persons most fertile period is in their late teens and early 20s. We need to analyze and deal with these facts.
Personally as a pediatrician, I found the highest teen birth rates in three groups. 1. Teens in distressed families (drug addict or absent parents [not single moms], poverty where parents are working 2-3 jobs, overextended and therefore technically absent and rich parents with unsupervised kids); 2. Teens in very religious families relying on abstinence, that wouldn't talk about sex, leaving kids to figure it out on their own (these kids constantly were super rebellious); and 3. idol teens who had no hobbies except hanging out with friends and who had self-esteem problems such that they would do anything to appear popular.
The saddest case that is a commentary on how we talk but don't help distressed teens and families was an eighth grade girl who told me she purposely got pregnant because she wanted someone to "love her." She had lived mainly on the streets taking care of herself in South Carolina (the bible belt) where social services were inadequate to help her. Her parents were unavailable. The churches, schools, and social services viewed her as important and worthwhile as a dead dog. What do you expect! Three girls in her class were pregnant that year.
Until we promote individual worth; provide adequate eduation so that kids are motivated to learn and therefore kept busy with self motivation(our high school education is like a junior high education in most civilized countries - teachers are in general miserably undertrained); teach kids the value of being involved with others and with activities such as the arts, volunteering, involvement with government and social services, gardening, sports without a goal of being a major leager; teach that community and family is more important than self and instant gratification or material goods; promote a village atmosphere where people in one small neighborhood or a few blocks in a city know each other, meet regularly with each other (difficult with two jobs and long commutes) and help each other (70 % of Americans don't know their neighbors); make real job training and jobs available to young men and women; reform laws so that like in Europe women can stay home with a child the first two years of life and still have a job available and career available when they return to work, we will make no progress in regards to teen births or abortions.
We need to shift our priorities and donations to the REAL problems that result in teen pregnancies and abortions. If we simply fight about ideology nothing will be accomplished. United We Stand, Divided We Fall. Perhaps it is time to agree to disagree on ideology and work together on issues that we all agree upon!
The benefits would be enormous. We would not just deal with teen pregnancies and reduce abortions, we would reduce crime and increase our countries productivity saving huge amounts of money and rebuilding our economy.
The Thirteenth Amendment
to the United States Constitution officially abolished and continues to prohibit slavery and involuntary servitude, EXCEPT as punishment for a crime.
Dr Linda Shelton, who has devoted her life to service of others and particularly to providing medical and mental health services to the poor will be completely destroyed in two weeks with a false conviction for Illinois Medicaid Fraud simply for trying to help people on Medicaid obtain mental health care. Please read the following and help any way possible. I thank anyone who will help me.
This is a story epitomizing government corruption and greed, retaliation against whistle blowers, and gross government incompetence brought on by decades of fraud, patronage, and nepotism in Illinois.
Judge Jorge Alonso ruled on my pending criminal case where I am charged with Medicaid fraud that “substitute billing is illegal”. This is where a doctor sends a bill to the insurance company for services performed by his employee such as the service of a nurse administering a vaccine or a psychologist administering a psychological test, or a cast technician applying a cast. In my case the Illinois Attorney General claims that if a doctor bills Medicaid for counseling (for drug addiction, post-traumatic-stress disorder after rape, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depression, dementia, etc.) if the counseling or psychological testing was done by an employee and not directly by the physician then it is a felony crime.
If substitute, also known as incident to, billing is illegal than ALL doctors in Illinois are guilty of a felony crime of fraud! God Help Us! Judge Alonso is so eager to railroad me and convict me that he is violating his oath of office to uphold the laws of the land and the constitution. Due process, guaranteed by the Bill of Rights REQUIRES that he follow the law. He is BLATANTLY violating the law, either maliciously or ignorantly due to his arrogance, incompetence, bias to run and support the alleged prosecutor AG Lisa Madigan, or his ego.
Physicians are NOT trained to do psychological testing for personality disorders or mental illness. Psychologists at the master’s and Ph.D level are trained to do so. These tests are invaluable in helping determine the right diagnosis and the right course of treatment. Judge Alonso has ruled that those on Medicaid are not eligible for this type of evaluation and treatment as a result of his illegal and unconstitutional ruling.
Many non-physicians are licensed in Illinois and all states to provide Psychiatric & Psychological Services:
1. nurses 225 ILCS 65,2. clinical psychologists 225 ILCS 15,3. licensed social workers 225 ILCS 20,4. licensed clinical professional counselor 225 ILCS 107,5. licensed marriage and family therapist 225 ILCS 55 and 68 ILAC 1283
Judge Alonso’s illegal ruling denies all of these people the RIGHT to practice their profession and denies the citizens of Illinois on Medicaid the Right under the Federal Medicaid Act to access to care equivalent to the care provided in the community.
Federal Judge Joan Lefkow ruled in August 2004, at the end of a 12 year civil rights class action suit that “Illinois Medicaid Policies and Procedures are in Violation of the Federal Medicaid Code because they Deny Access to Care” to children on Medicaid. This ruling is applicable to all Medicaid patients but the ruling only applies to children. It needs to be expanded to cover all Medicaid patients.
The Federal Medicaid Code, 42 U.S.C. 1396A(a)(30)(A), [regarding adults and children covered under Medicaid and the EPSDT program] REQUIRES any State Medicaid program funded by the federal government to provide care equivalent to that obtainable from private insurers in the community to Illinois Medicaid clients.
Therefore, Judge Alonso’s ruling is unconstitutional, unfair, illegal, and amounts to his ruling to overturn the Federal Medicaid Code as well as Illinois Statutes licensing non-physician providers of mental health services. As > 80 % of mental health services are provided by non-physicians this essentially shuts out mental health services to all but a few in Illinois who are poor.
The Federal Court and U.S. Attorney should intervene as this is illegal and also a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act in terms of discrimination.
As to my case, I am charged with billing for mental health services never done and substitute billing for mental health services between June 2000 and April 2002 while “working” at Right Frame of Mind & Associates (RFOM). Over the last six months when I obtained access to the old business records for RFOM I discovered the fact is that the year before I started working for a group practice called RFOM, part-time providing chart review for quality, consultation about medical and psychiatric policies and procedures, and limited patient care, two woman, who were partners with the CEO and without the knowledge of the CEO, in 2000 fabricated hundreds of patient encounter forms (filled out by doctors or therapists as to what patient they saw, the diagnosis, and what service was provided), that are later translated into bills or invoices by the billing agent, for services they never did. These two women, Itadel Shalabi and Nareman Taha never met me as they were fired before I started working there in 2001.
I had major neurosurgery in July 2000 due to a congenital spinal problem that was crushing my spinal cord and leading progressively towards quadraplegia. I was incapacitated for six months and heavily sedated with narcotics and other drugs for much of that time. I had agreed in early 2000 at the request of the CEO to be one of a dozen or more part-time medical directors to oversee quality of care, screen for medical disorders mimicking psychiatric disorders, help train the counselors to write better notes (many were foreigners with good counseling skills but a little difficulty with English writing), advise the CEO on best medical practices and standard of care, and provide physician services to patients needing medications.
I or my staff while I was in hospital gave the CEO my Medicaid provider number and other necessary documents so that the company’s billing agent Louise Moore of Data Medical Works could sign me up with Medicaid as a provider for the group so that they could bill for my services when I began to work, if I recovered, in 2001.
Ms. Moore I never met at the time was a sweet lady who is ignorant of a lot of things. She held herself out to be a expert at medical billing and she signed a contract with the CEO in early 2000 to set the group up legally to bill Medicaid. Nothing she did was actually proper, but it was not her own fault. She failed to tell the CEO he would be paid more if he had his group certified as a community mental health center. She was totally ignorant of the concept of community mental health centers (or the drug addiction and alcohol treatment centers - another center with its own enabling State Statue).
Under the Community Mental Health Service Act mental health groups that become certified bill Medicaid under the Center’s name and not under the doctor’s name. They also contract with the Illinois prisons, and/or DCFS (Illinois Child Welfare) or other agencies to provide comprehensive mental health services. They must have at least one medical director, but the director is an administrator and doesn’t have to see patients. Ph.D. psychologists or doctors or licensed mental health providers can supervise non-physician mental health service providers and bills can be sent in to Medicaid under the center’s name for all these services.
Ms. Moore ignorantly thinking (falsely) that her contract allowed her to sign the names of Right Frame of Mind employees on to any form signed my name in August and December 2000, without my or the CEO’s knowledge or consent, on a power of attorney form, an alternate payee form, and a blue cross/blue shielf electronic partner trading agreement form, which are all required to allow her to translate the patient encounter form to an electronic invoice and send it over the wire to BC/BS for adjudication, who then sends it to Medicaid, who then pays abut 30-40 cents on the dollar to the Alternate Payee (in this case RFOM).
Ms. Moore had spoken to the Medicaid Provider Service Unit about how to register the non-physician providers to bill Medicaid. She was told that non-physicians cannot bill Medicaid, was NOT told that a better way to bill was as a community mental health center or how to sign the group up as a community mental health center, and told that all bills (invoices) had to have a doctor’s name as the provider.
Then Ms. Moore, without my or the CEO’s knowledge changed the provider name in preparing invoices from Itadel Shalabi’s and Nareman Taha’s fraudulent patient encounter forms to my name so she could bill under my Medicaid Provider Number. I don’t believe that Ms. Moore had ANY knowledge of the fraudulent nature of the Patient Encounter Forms made by these two women.
Therefore the ghost billing charge is a result of ID Theft, resulting from both fraud by these two women and a comedy of errors by incompetent people advising Ms. Moore in the Medicaid Provider Service Unit, as well as her own blundering ignorance. I am totally innocent having not participated in any way in generating these bills or in receiving or using the money paid for them by Medicaid.
Ms Moore unfortunately is also guilty of mass fraud in all the work she has done in the past decade or more. It is illegal for an insurance biller to bill Medicaid based on a contract where they are paid by the percentage of funds received form Medicaid by the provider. Ms. Moore charged around 8% of all billings. This is illegal and considered fraud as it ties the billers service, which has nothing to do with the medical care provided, with the doctor’s service. Therefore, if she billed for a $100,000 procedure by a heart surgeon she would be paid $8,000 for sending in one bill, while when a family doctor bills $100, she would be paid $8. Providers of services to doctors are NOT ALLOWED to tie their services to the income from the actual medical provider. She MUST BILL ONLY by the piece of work such as $8 per bill. However, she has not been indicted for Medicaid Fraud and has not been sued by RFOM for Fraud in holding herself out to be an expert on billing when she was not.
The second aspect of the charge is substitute billing. I signed a Power of Attorney Form and Alternate Payee Agreement in August 2001. I was informed by the CEO sometime in late 2001 or early 2002 that the group was told by Ms. Moore that the counselors’ and psychologists’ services had to be billed under a doctor’s name so that bills on patients I had seen, but for dates of service when they were seen by a non-physician were being billed under my name. I had assumed that the billing agent was competent and doing the billing properly. I had assumed that substitute billing for employees services in mental health care was as legal as billing Medicaid for my nurse giving a patient a vaccine. I had no idea at the time that anyone considered substitute billing illegal. I had no knowledge that Ms. Moore had actually sent in tens of thousands of dollars worth of bills under my name before August 1, 2001 based on documents she forged and the fraudulent patient encounter forms from the above two women. Therefore, I told the CEO that was fine. I was not involved in billing or administration of the group except to fill out patient encounter forms when I saw a patient. I had a good faith belief that all was well.
I had also had an agreement that being part-time the business would limit my patient panel to 200 patients as I did not feel that part-time doctors should supervise the care of any more patients than this number.
Since Judge Alonso has unconstitutionally and illegally ruled that substitute billing is illegal I will be found guilty and likely sentence to prison for 4-15 years, as well as forever lose my medical license and reputation, along with my livelihood, future, friends, health as medical care is inadequate in prison and I am disabled with several serious medical disorders, and will to live. I have informed the U.S. Attorney, FBI, at the time Senator Obama, Senator Durbin, and now Senator Burris along with a lot of Congressmen and other Sentators and State legislators. I am receiving no assistance to solve this problem and restore mental health care in Illinois to those on Medicaid.
In late 2001 Ms. Lovett, Ms. Collins and others from the Office of Inspector General Medicaid contacted the RFOM and claimed that they needed to review some charts as a “standard review of a new practice to help us comply with the rules”. We completely complied and Ms. Lovett came out in 2001. She told the CEO the charts were well done and she would give us a report in 90 days. The CEO was actually very happy about this review because he wanted to make sure that our group practiced with the highest quality and had the best quality charting in the business. They never gave us a report or any feedback and their only response was to initiate a felony prosecution which culminated in the indictment of selectively me (and not one other of the dozen or so medical directors doing the same job - perhaps because only the CEO and I were whistle blowers about Illinois Governement Corruption and mistreatment of children in foster care and on Medicaid by the State) and the CEO.
After a number of months with NO feedback and strange comments from the Illinois State Police Medicaid Fraud Unit (part of the Illinois Attorney General’s Office), where the CEO had gone to inform them that he was concerned abut the integrity of our medical records because he had fired Itadel Shalabi and Nareman Taha for other administrative misconduct and inappropriate behavior with patients and they stole a hundred or so medical records (eventually returning parts of them) I began my own investigation of the rules of Medicaid. The State Police have not arrested them yet.
The CEO, I had learned over about a year was much more naive than I thought about running the business. I had assumed that he was qualified as an administrator and found out he was not. Finding out about the stolen charts and the lack of feedback from the OIG-Medicaid on this “routine review” concerned me. I was also concerned because in April 2002 the CEO told me that Ms. Collins at OIG-Medicaid had informed him to talk to Mr. Brown at Medicaid because there was a problem with the way our group was set up. Mr. Brown told the CEO that RFOM could not be a proper alternate payee under their rules and he apologized for misleading the CEO when the group was originally set up in 2000. He told the CEO that Medicaid could not continue to pay the group unless it was owned by the doctors. The group was the sole proprietorship of the CEO a master degreed psychologist. The CEO said OK, hired an attorney, and asked several of the doctors to be the officers of the group as it changed to corporate status. The corporation was set up so that the doctors would not actually profit from the corporation but were only paid by the hour for their work. The CEO was going to make a profit from managing the corporation. However, no profit was ever made as all the income went to overhead, particularly paying the counselors and doctors their salary and/or hourly rate. The CEO actually put in $100,000 of his own money to meet payroll before he closed the business as no viable financially. My total income from the group was about $5000 over all the time I worked there from 2001 to 2003. I always told the CEO to pay the other employees first and my work was only very limited and part-time.
Beginning in 2002, I researched the Federal and State Medicaid rules, policies, and laws so that I would be able to meet my fudiciary duty to participate in running the corporation at least from an advisory point of view. I discovered the following and this is why I told the CEO in mid 2002 and maintain this belief, that substitute billing is perfectly legal and actually REQUIRED by the Federal Medicaid Code as well as NOT PROHIBITED by Illiniois Statutes or Illinois Adminstrative Rules:
Federal and State Medicaid laws are extensive, complex, and immensely confusing. The State of Illinois is misusing them to indict doctors, psychologists, administrators of psychiatric and psychological practices for “Medicaid Fraud” when they are actually following federal law and providing needy services including counseling, drug treatment, suicide prevention, etc. Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Jim Ryan before her have targeted especially those groups run by whistle blowers, in order to falsely claim they are tough on fraud, to prevent Illinois from paying the bill for mental health services for the poor and needy on Medicaid, and reduce the bottom line.
A claim of “tough on fraud” will help AG Lisa Madigan win election as Governor. Failure to provide mental health care including drug addiction and alcoholism treatment leads to increased crime as drug addicts, alcoholics, and those that are so out of touch and mentally ill find alternatives to legitimate work to feed their habits or survive. Failure to provide adequate mental health care at the front end leads to much higher costs in the long run.
Code of Federal Regulations 42 CFR 414.34 states:“Payment for services and supplies incident to a physician’s service”“(b) Services of non[-]physicians that are incident to a physician’s service. Services of non physicians that are covered as incident to a physician’s service are paid as if the physician had personally furnished the service. “
United States Code42 U.S.C. § 1396d(a)(5)(A)requires reimbursement for “physicians’ services furnished by a physician.”
Code of Federal Regulations 42 C.F.R. § 440.50The HHS rule implementing the Medicaid Act defines “physician services” to include services provided:“(a) within the scope of practice of medicine or osteopathy as defined by State law; and(b) by or under the personal supervision of an individual licensed under State law to practice medicine or osteopathy.”
United States Code42 U.S.C. §1396a(a)(32)(C)Congress further authorized substitute billing under Medicaid for services furnished:“by, or incident to the services” of another physician
Federal Regulation66 Fed. Reg. 55268HHS makes clear in its preamble to this rule that it does not restrict the type of auxiliary personnel who may perform a given “incident to” service: “We deliberately used the term any individual so that the physician (or other practitioner), under his or her discretion and license, may use the service of anyone ranging from another physician to a medical assistant.”
Code of Federal Regulations42 CFR 411.15“Particular services exclude from coverage” specifically states that:“(m) (3) Exceptions. The following services are not excluded from coverage:…•(iii) Nurse practitioner and clinical nurse specialist services……•(v) Qualified psychologist services,”
FEDERAL PREEMPTION SUSTAINED BY FEDERAL 2ND CIRCUIT COURT OF APPEAL•A Federal suit for a psychiatrist against the New York Medicaid Program based on its refusal to approve Medicaid was agreed to for reimbursement for services provided by his employees under his supervision. Yapalater v. Bates, 494 F. Supp. 1349 (S.D.N.Y. 1980), aff’d, 644 F.2d 131 (2d Cir. 1981), cert. denied, 455 U.S. 908, 102 S. Ct. 1255 (1982).•The court determined that the federal Medicaid rule at 42 C.F.R. §440.50 defining “physician services” unquestionably included supervisees other than the physician, just as the same rule must apply here to vacate Plaintiffs’ indictments. Id. at 1363-64.
State Medicaid must Provide Services 42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)30(A)•Federal Code clearly mandates that State Medicaid plans must provide services to recipients of Medicaid and payment to their service providers equivalent to care and services provided to the general population by private insurers•Private insurance pays for psychiatric services provided by counselors and psychologists•RFOM CEO and other employees, besides the physicians were licensed counselors, nurses, psychological therapist, or social workers, per CEO
42 U.S.C. 1396a(a)30(A)“A State plan for medical assistance must –Provide such methods and procedures relating to the utilization of, and the payment for, care and services available under the plan . . . to assure that payments are … sufficient to enlist enough providers so that care and services are available under the plan … at least to the extent that such care and services are available to the general population in the geographic area“,
Ambiguous State Laws Must be Interpreted to Conform to Fed Law•The Federal 7th Circuit Court of Appeals has also construed ambiguous state regulations to conform to federal Medicaid requirements,•an approach worth revisiting here with respect to Sections 140.411 and 140.413 of the Illinois Administrative Code.•See Evanston Hosp. v. Hauck 1 F.3d 540 (7th Cir.1993), cert. denied, 510 U.S. 1091 (1994).
I (SHELTON) CONTINUES HER OWN INVESTIGATION OF BILLING PRACTICES – 2002-2005•Shelton discovers that Physician Medicaid Manual has inconsistencies, in one place stating bills for employees billed under doctor’s name, and in another place stating that no psychiatric services can be billed for non-physicians, yet in another place stating that non-physicians may provide psychiatric services and Medicaid may be billed. She also discovered the Illinois Community Mental Health Center Code.
Illinois Administrative Code (IAC)89 IAC 140.12“Services Not Covered by Physician”DOES NOT MENTION psychiatric services by non-physicians
Illinois Administrative Code89 IAC 140.400(a)“Payment to Practitioners”“2) A practitioner may bill only for services he or she personally provides or which are provided under his or her direct supervision in his or her office by his or her staff.”
Illinois Administrative Code89 IAC 140.411“Covered Services by Physicians”“The Department shall pay physicians for the provision of services not otherwise excluded which are:. . .c) Provided by the physician or by a member of the physician’s staff under the physician’s direct supervision
Illinois Administrative Code89 IAC 140.413“Limitations on Physician Services”that “limitations” on physician’s services include that psychiatric services will be paid for if they are “. . . provided by a physician . . .” [It does not exclude non-physician services and it is a reasonable inference to conclude the definition of "physician" include the services of non-physician employees, under the doctor's supervision as defined in 89 IAC 140.400 & 411]
How does this negate previous definition of “physician services” which include incident services by his employees?
UNCONSTITUTIONAL STATE CLAIMState falsely claims use of word “physician” in 89 IAC 140.413 negates definition of“physician services”, which includes incident services by physician’s employees as defined in 89 IAC 140.400(a), 89 IAC 140.411
State falsely claims that federal law does not apply and statutory construction rules don’t applyJudge Alonso previously illegally ruled that the Federal Medicaid Code does not apply in this case despite the fact the Illinois Medicaid is a joint federal/state program partially funded by the Federal Medicaid Code!
IAC TOO VAGUE•Criminal Laws are invalid if too vague to understand (”void for vagueness doctrine”)•Illinois Administrative Code too vague in sections:89 IAC 140.12,89 IAC 140.400,89 IAC 140.411, and89 IAC 140.413Illinois Administrative Code•Why should 89 IAC 140.413 have more weight than 89 IAC 140.12?•Why should the definitions of physician services in and 140.411 not apply to the term “physician” in 89 IAC 140.413?
STATUTORY CONSTRUCTION RULES REQUIRE (Regarding interpretation of conflictin State Statutes)Specific Controls over General•89 IAC 140.400 & 89 IAC 140.411more specific “physician services” includes non-physician employee services•89 IAC 140.413 general word “physician” with no definition of what services this includes cannot by exclusion negate previous more specific definition of services provided by physician
Federal Law Rules42 CFR 414.34Services by Physician’s staff are billed as IF the Physician Performed the Services Himself
If State and Federal Law conflicts, Federal Law RulesDue to the Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution
FEDERAL LAW REQUIRES PAYMENT FOR EPSDT SERVICES•The Federal Medicaid Code requires that State Medicaid programs pay for periodic mental health screening and treatment of any defects in mental health for children under 21:• 42 USC 1396d “Definitions For purposes of this chapter• (r) Early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services••The term ‘early and periodic screening, diagnostic, and treatment services’ means the following items and services:• (1) Screening services –• (A) which are provided –•(ii) at such other intervals, indicated as medically necessary, to determine the existence of certain physical and mental illnesses or conditions;• . . .•(5) Such other necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment, and other measures described in subsection (a) of this section to correct or ameliorate defects and physical and mental illnesses and conditions discovered by the screening services, whether or not such services are covered under the State plan.”
STATE LAW REQUIRES PAYMENT FOR EPSDT SERVICES•89 IAC 140.485 states:•“Healthy Kids Program•Program Description–The Healthy Kids Program is the Early and Periodic Screening Diagnostic and Treatment Program [EPSDT] mandated by the Social Security Act (see 42 U.S.C. 1396a(43), 1396d(4)(B)(Supp. 1987)). The goals of the program are to:•Improve the health status of Medicaid-eligible children ages birth through 20 years through the provision of preventive medical care and early diagnosis and treatment of conditions threatening the child’s health•…• Treatment. The Department shall pay for necessary medical care (see Section 140.2), diagnostic services [i.e. psychological testing], treatment or other measures medically necessary … to correct or ameliorate defects, physical or mental illnesses….”,•The Illinois Public Aid Code [AKA Medicaid Act], 305 ILCS 5/19(f) requires that EPSDT screening and mental health treatment be provided to children in the Medicaid program:•“5/19. Healthy Kids Program•(f) Covered Medical Services. The Illinois Department shall provide coverage for all necessary health care, diagnostic services, treatment and other measures to correct or ameliorate defects, physical and mental illnesses, and conditions whether discovered by screening services or not for all children eligible for Medical Assistance under Article V of this Code.”
Dr Shelton was a Medicaid Registered EPSTD Provider
Therefore ANY REASONABLE person would conclude that the law permits substitute billing for mental health services whether it be another physician covering for the doctor, or a non-physician supervised by the doctor or her colleagues. If you don’t agree than the void for vagueness doctrine should clearly negate and prevent any criminal charges for substitute billing.
God Help Me! I am innocent and destroyed. This is my reward for devoting my life to service particularly of the poor and needy. If you want to help, contact the Illinois Reform Committee and flood them with letters. Contact the U.S. Attorney and FBI and flood them with letters. Contact your legislators and Congressmen and flood them with letters. Come to the trial on February 17, 2009 which will last two weeks and fill the gallery so that the judge knows your opinion. Contact the press. Donate to my legal fund anything possible. I need tens of thousands of dollars. Shelton Legal Fund, C/O Albukerk & Associates, 3025 W. 26th St. 2nd Floor, Chicago, IL 60623. Thank you if you help.
I'm so tired of the so called Congress men and Women, Senators, and the Media speaking for the average Americans. They are so out of touch with the average citizen, that it has become a joke to listen to these people reporting on what they think that we need . I really don't understand where they are getting their information from, are they actually talking to the average middle class americans? We the People voted for President Obama, because we were tired of the status quo. We want change, and change that will focus it attention to the middle class in this country. We are hard working people, who has followed the rules, and we have watched those who didn't even know what the rules were, or they just didn't care what they were, walk away billions of our tax dollars; while we watch our homes go down in value, our pension plans losing value, our children can't afford to go to college, or having to suspend going for lack of money. Those of us who are looking to retire have to put off retiring.
President Obama's rescue bill, started out a good thing. Then we get Nancy Pelosi, and Harry Reid with their over inflated egos, load it down with things that will not stimulate the economy, these things may be good things, but not now. Lets focus on stimulating the economy. It's so simple Jobs, Jobs, Jobs, good paying Jobs. I have lived in my city for twenty years, and in that twenty years, there has not been any jobs created that would sustain the average home owner, most people have to commute to other cities in order to make a living. I have seen more low wage jobs created than anything else, fast food restaurants, retail, these are not the kind of jobs that will sustain most home owners. This city is being ruined by people that are so smart that they have beome the city idiots.
Lets help the home owner stay in their homes, lets help students stay in college, or be able to go to college. Where is the help for those home owners who did the right thing, and is losing home value? Enough is Enough! When is the government going to start working for the people? We hired them, and we can fire them.
Martin Luther King Jrs. birthday is January 19. He has been a driving force in my life. Most people think his “I have a dream” speech is his best, and it certainly is the most famous.
http://www.mlkonline.net/dream.html
But, I am most profoundly moved and inspired by the last speech he made on the night of April 3, 1968. In this speech he expresses the POWER of SELFLESSNESS and NON-VIOLENCE.
See: http://www.mlkonline.net/promised.html
“For when people get caught up with that which is right and they are willing to sacrifice for it, there is no stopping point short of victory. . . .
But either we go up together, or we go down together. . . .
But I’m going to tell you what my imagination tells me. It’s possible that these men were afraid. You see, the Jericho road is a dangerous road. I remember when Mrs. King and I were first in Jerusalem. We rented a car and drove from Jerusalem down to Jericho. And as soon as we got on that road, I said to my wife, “I can see why Jesus used this as a setting for his parable.” It’s a winding, meandering road. It’s really conducive for ambushing. You start out in Jerusalem, which is about 1200 miles, or rather 1200 feet above sea level. And by the time you get down to Jericho, fifteen or twenty minutes later, you’re about 2200 feet below sea level. That’s a dangerous road. In the day of Jesus it came to be known as the “Bloody Pass.” And you know, it’s possible that the priest and the Levite looked over that man on the ground and wondered if the robbers were still around. Or it’s possible that they felt that the man on the ground was merely faking. And he was acting like he had been robbed and hurt, in order to seize them over there, lure them there for quick and easy seizure. And so the first question that the Levite asked was, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?” But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”.
That’s the question before you tonight. Not, “If I stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to all of the hours that I usually spend in my office every day and every week as a pastor?” The question is not, “If I stop to help this man in need, what will happen to me?” “If I do no stop to help the sanitation workers, what will happen to them?” That’s the question.
Let us rise up tonight with a greater readiness. Let us stand with a greater determination. And let us move on in these powerful days, these days of challenge to make America what it ought to be. We have an opportunity to make America a better nation. And I want to thank God, once more, for allowing me to be here with you.
You know, several years ago, I was in New York City autographing the first book that I had written. And while sitting there autographing books, a demented black woman came up. The only question I heard from her was, “Are you Martin Luther King?”
And I was looking down writing, and I said yes. And the next minute I felt something beating on my chest. Before I knew it I had been stabbed by this demented woman. I was rushed to Harlem Hospital. It was a dark Saturday afternoon. And that blade had gone through, and the X-rays revealed that the tip of the blade was on the edge of my aorta, the main artery. And once that’s punctured, you drown in your own blood–that’s the end of you.
It came out in the New York Times the next morning, that if I had sneezed, I would have died. Well, about four days later, they allowed me, after the operation, after my chest had been opened, and the blade had been taken out, to move around in the wheel chair in the hospital. They allowed me to read some of the mail that came in, and from all over the states, and the world, kind letters came in. I read a few, but one of them I will never forget. I had received one from the President and the Vice-President. I’ve forgotten what those telegrams said. I’d received a visit and a letter from the Governor of New York, but I’ve forgotten what the letter said. But there was another letter that came from a little girl, a young girl who was a student at the White Plains High School. And I looked at that letter, and I’ll never forget it. It said simply, “Dear Dr. King: I am a ninth-grade student at the Whites Plains High School.” She said, “While it should not matter, I would like to mention that I am a white girl. I read in the paper of your misfortune, and of your suffering. And I read that if you had sneezed, you would have died. And I’m simply writing you to say that I’m so happy that you didn’t sneeze.”
And I want to say tonight, I want to say that I am happy that I didn’t sneeze. Because if I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been around here in 1960, when students all over the South started sitting-in at lunch counters. And I knew that as they were sitting in, they were really standing up for the best in the American dream. And taking the whole nation back to those great wells of democracy which were dug deep by the Founding Fathers in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been around in 1962, when Negroes in Albany, Georgia, decided to straighten their backs up. And whenever men and women straighten their backs up, they are going somewhere, because a man can’t ride your back unless it is bent. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been here in 1963, when the black people of Birmingham, Alabama, aroused the conscience of this nation, and brought into being the Civil Rights Bill. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have had a chance later that year, in August, to try to tell America about a dream that I had had. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been down in Selma, Alabama, to see the great movement there. If I had sneezed, I wouldn’t have been in Memphis to see a community rally around those brothers and sisters who are suffering. I’m so happy that I didn’t sneeze.
….
And then I got into Memphis. And some began to say that threats, or talk about the threats that were out. What would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers?
Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people will get to the promised land. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”
My own grandfather was a Baptist minister, Rev. William Tatter, and he was of like mind to the Rev. King. I grew up emotionally and philosophically by the words of Rev. King and my grandfather and from those days committed my very soul to the concepts of selflessness, non-violence, unity, and sacrifice for others are ALWAYS more important than self. I hope you join me in this commitment that is also so well embodied in our founding father’s statement in the Declaration of Independence: “[W]e mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our Sacred Honor.“
For the Declaration of Independence see:
http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm
I renew the commitment of our founding fathers and I renew my acceptance of the guidance of Rev. King and my grandfather today and hope you will join me.
Prison reform begins with legislators having the courage to change sentencing laws. Economicly speaking, let us use common sense here. The older a person gets the more attention he or she may need. Chronologiclly, an inamte ages faster than those who are members of the free society, that information comes from people who work in the institutions. So, the older the inmate the more costly they become.
Charles Manson gets a parole review every five years because the state of California mandates this. To be clear, I certainly am not advocating wholesale amnesty for all lifer inmates. However there are six states in the union which convict first and second degree inmates to life without parole. The one size fits all sentencing practices need to be addressed to avoid a geriatic population. The parole reviews I have suggested for those convicted of murder in the second degree must be based on a five point merit system, with education being a front running focal point. In order for the parole process to begin, the Victims family must have integrated with the inmate.
We in the free society must not stand for or tolerate the accepted pratice when allowing the annual cost of an inmate exceed an individual recieing a higher education. We together, must demand to put an end to this in OUR GREAT NATION! Please follow your State Budget expenses closely-study the costs of Correction spending for the past few years. Demand For CHANGE!
I have been reading through so many questions on Change.gov, and I have noticed so many questions that I look at and wonder...what was this person thinking.
So here are some thoughts I would like to express...
One...so many have asked the question "why do I have to pay for individuals who did things wrong, when I did everything right?" My question is why, because someone is caught up in this economic downturn, do you automatically assume that the person has done something wrong? What about the people who did everything right, but because of others greed, they are in trouble...why do you assume the people asking for help do not fall into that category?
My second thought...Maybe we should all take a step back and understand what a President can truely do. I understand, and partake in the excitement of a President who promises change from the same old politics, but all of the questions requesting things completely out of the control of a President does nothing to advance the cooperation that will be needed between the Government and the communities they serve. I understand that everyone has the right to ask what they choose, but questions that request the President to do things beyond his control are not productive.
Common questions I have come across...and my thoughts on them...Please give me your input...these are meant to get ideas going, so that we can be more proactive in our Government...
I have come across several questions that have had to do with legalizing Marijauna and taxing it the same way we tax cigarettes and alcohol. The common argument is that this would give an instant boost to the economy, both by the tax revenue this would raise and also by the billions of tax dollars saved in law enforcement costs each year. I personally see the argument, whether or not I believe in the cause, as a plausible way to stimulate the economy. What are your thoughts on this?
The next question that I have seen over and over is in regards to U.S. stimulus...Why not give a stimulus check to each American adult...the amount varries based on the questioner, but range from $30,000 each to 1 million each...included in the stimulus package to be voted on later this month. The arguement...That giving that much would allow those who have been hit hard to pay their mortgage payments and get bills caught up, and will then continue to stimulate the economy by spending, saving, or investing the rest. What are your thoughts on this?
The last question I am going to address here is whether or not we should abolish the current tax system and go to a sales tax instead of income tax system? I would like to hear all your ideas on this subjects as I am still trying to weigh the pros and cons of each. What are your thoughts on this?
The great part about this is that you can vote on which questions you want the Obama team to answer...with the questions that get the most votes being the ones they answer...if you have time you should stop by change.gov and answer a few...
Truth commissions worked in South Africa to encourage confession, resolve mysteries, increase transparency, resolve conflicts, decrease corruption, reduce bias and discrimination, and allowed the country to get beyond conflict, to forgive, to accept the past, and to move on in a more honest, united and open manner.
Would this not work in the United States. We should begin a pilot project run by US Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald in C[r]ook County.
"Our veterans in chronic pain are thrown narcotics in high doses making them nonfunctional addicts instead of treating pain properly with multiple modalities (TENS units, therapy, muscle relaxants, meditation). Will you help them reclaim their lives?"
"Brain surgeons go to medical school for 4 years then do internships and residencies to learn this skill for another 7 years. I don't want a family doc doing brain surgery. Shouldn't judges be required more education than 3 years of law school?"
"Corrupt politicians and police illegally use fraudulent charges of disorderly conduct, trespass, resisting arrest, etc., as retaliatory tools against whistle blowers and dissidents. Will you hold Congressional hearings on this and stop this practice?"
"Judges are arrogant, incompetent, corrupt, and they routinely deny civil rights - right to self-representation, right to access courts, introduce evidence, etc. They abuse orders for fitness exams. Will you hold hearings and change this?"
"Excess incarceration is killing our economy. Will you lead the battle to replace incarceration with restorative justice for non-violent offenses. Skilling should be working and paying 99.9% of his salary to those he harmed!"
"In Illinois Atty Gen Lisa Madigan, several Governors, and their corrupt accomplices fraudulently deny mental health care to those on Medicaid and wrongfully prosecute health care providers who are trying to provide this service. Will you investigate?"
It is so important to act and not just talk. We live in a totalitarian police state because people have NOT spoken up and acted. Are you willing to help me write a white paper saying what is wrong with the prison system and what we think should be done?
I know of the lawsuit by Everett Hadix against the Michigan prison system for extreme systemic medical neglect and abuse causing for example the death of TH from dehydration while in restraints, or of another prisoner for failure to provide thyroid medication, and others from medical neglect, torture, and abuse. We have a similar situation in Illinois but no lawsuits yet. Read the US Atty report - http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/iln/pr/chicago/2008/pr0717_01a.pdf.
There is also the gross case of death by ammonia inhalant of a Florida teen in a boot camp where the guards and nurse forced an ammonia inhalant on this prisoner because he wasn't running fast enough. He went into laryngospasm and died. The nurse and guards were tried for murder and acquitted!! But by the grace of God go I !!! I have been wrongfully incarcerated, suffered asthma attacks and ammonia inhalants forced on me until I passed out in laryngospasm because they said I was "faking" and "malingering" and they had to "deal with my dramatics"!! I thought I was going to die several times.
I also was tied down and illegally shot up with psychotropic drugs to shut me up so I wouldn't ask for grievance forms, paper and pen to access the courts, or tell other prisoners their writes. This is while I was severely dehydrated on a dry hunger strike and despite the fact I go into very severe flashbacks from being tied down and suffocated in the past.
I have been viciously beaten by guards and black and blue all over in retaliation for my complaints or resisting a psychotropic drug, un-needed and given illegally. Again these illegal acts were done in retaliation for my complaints and civil rights activities!!
My goal is nothing short of congressional hearings on these topics. This is much worse than Abu Ghraib and is standard practice in US prisons and jails. It is so barbaric and cruel it makes me puke and I constantly suffer from PTSD. I cry and shake when even thinking about this stuff as I am doing now while writing this.
We need to raise a lot of funds so we can hire good attorneys to do class actions and lobby for congressional hearings. We need much more press attention. I have been trying to do this unsuccessfully. I am destitute now and fortunately have a relative who has taken me in.
We need an organization to fight this and a celebrity spokesman to help promote the cause.I would appreciate the guidance and assistance of this group in achieving these goals. Perhaps we can form a coalition with other mental health advocacy, disability advocacy, and prison reform groups, as well as with anti-torture groups.
Please contact me with ideas in this regard, tell me if you have the skills or resources to help, and if you are willing to volunteer in some regard.
Dr. Linda Lorincz Shelton
The transition team has a web site to ask questions to the team:
http://change.gov/page/content/openforquestions20081229/
These are the questions I have asked to date. When I receive the answers I will discuss them.
"50% or so of health care dollars is spent on advertising. What will you do to stop this waste. Health care providers should be like the police and fire departments, a necessary public service that does not advertise."
"Rural areas have attracted for profit prisons. The prison/industrial complex now employes 1/10 Americans. This is not productive - guards and prisoners don't contribute to the economy - they suck the wind out of it. What will you do to fix this?"
"Japan preserves its crafts by funding "living national treasures" - top craftsmen and artists. They are given a govnt salary to maintain and teach their skill like swordmaking, flower arranging, Samari skills. Should we do this?"
"AAG Patrick Fitzgerald doesn't have half the manpower he needs to prosecute all the corruption in Illinois. Will you remedy this and make stamping out corruption a priority along with prosecuting felony civil rights violations?"
"Torture, medical neglect, abuse, denial of access to courts is routine in American prisons. What will you do to fix this and reduce the prison population which is 40 X greater than in any civilized country and is tearing down our economy?"
"Medical care at Cook Co. Jail & IL prison system is so inadequate inmates have had their leg amputated for lack of antibiotics & prisoners who were disabled lay on the floor in diarrhea for days unable to obtain water/care. Will DOJ investigate?"
"Torture, medical neglect, forced drugging, withholding of medical diets, falsification of records by guards, beatings resulting in death is standard practice in US jails and prisons. Will you hold Congressional hearings on this topic to expose it?"
"US Atty Fitzgerald found systemic medical neglect and violence by guards against inmates at Cook Co. Jail. YET NO INDICTMENTS for this intentional battery resulting in many deaths have occurred. Will you prosecute these criminal officers/officials?"
"All sorts of roadblocks are put up to prevent pro se litigants from defending themselves and litigating in courts. Will you see that pro se manuals are written, judicial education is improved, and citizens can have access and fairness in the courts?"
"Prosecution of felony civil rights violations - been stopped by Bush. Will you prosecute systemic intentional civil rights violations in prisons and jails that have led to death and loss of limb by intentional withholding of medical care and meds?"
"Communications a new frontier - money wasted; no standardization of bills & records; difficult finding data; privacy & security concerns; elderly/disabled concerns; education concerns. Do you support new Cabinet position for Communications Secretary?"
"In Illinois 1 prison law librarian handles ALL requests from all 40,000 prisoners for legal research, legal documents, etc. This cannot be considered access to the courts. Will the DOJ investigate and prosecute such systemic civil rights violations?"
