The Ohio GOP has been once again caught red handed in the corruption scheme involving Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC). In this latest GOP corruption scandal, the GOP state govt has implemented a scheme where they turned over the management of claims of injured workers to private companies and in return these companies paid them millions in political contributions. Most of these companies are owned by GOP operatives. This pay-to-play scheme has cost the Ohio taxpayers millions of dollars since the number of injured-worker claims plunged 42 percent in Ohio from 1998 to 2005, but administrative payments to managed-care companies by the BWC soared 44 percent during the period. According to Bureau Administrator William Mabe the private companies are being paid too much for doing less work.
It is the same BWC which was earlier involved in Republican Tom Noe's rare coin and beanie baby corruption scandal.
more below the fold..
According to
Toledo Blade, managed-care organizations that the bureau has certified have collected $1.374 billion from the bureau since the program's inception in 1997. Executives and associates of the remaining 26 managed-care organizations have contributed more than $610,000 to political candidates on the state level, including at least $127,000 to Gov. Bob Taft.
In the early 90's, before GOP took complete control of state legislators, the managed-care program was savings 15 to 30 percent of the bureau's medical costs and provided better services to injured workers. But in 1997 then GOP governor George Voinovich set up the new scheme in which he gave BWC's managed care to private companies and got political contributions in return. This truely worked as a new political ATM for GOP.
According to Cleveland Plain Dealer,
An investment scandal at the Bureau of Workers' Compensation that has cost the state as much as $300 million caught the attention of most Ohioans.
But a Plain Dealer analysis now indicates the bureau may have frittered away as much as five times that amount since 1998, largely because of an ideologically driven reform effort that was supposed to cut costs but has driven them up instead.
Since that reform was instituted, however, the bureau's total operating costs have increased at more than twice the rate of inflation.
The bureau's medical costs have risen faster than medical cost inflation as well, even while the number of claims to be managed has plummeted.
Costs per claim have more than doubled -- even after allowing for inflation.
As a result, according to the Plain Dealer analysis, the bureau has spent roughly $1.6 billion more under managed care than it would have if costs per claim had been held to only inflationary increases.
While GOP is looting the taxpayers the democratic team led by Sherrod Brown and Ted Strickland are fighting for the taxpayers. Sherrod Brown has released a great TV ad depicting how GOP outsourcing has affected Ohio. I urge all of you to donate to Sherrod Brown campaign so that he can defeat the corruption agenda propogated by DeWHine, Taft, Blackwell, Vinovich and their cronies.
In the other news from Ohio:
- In the first gov debate Ted Stricland did very well. Prior to the debates it was widely expected that Ken Blackwell will outperform Strickland due to Strickland's low-key style.
- The "Turnaround Ohio" bus tour by Strickland, Brown and other statewide candidate was very successful and received wide coverage from the media.
- According to last Gallup poll:
Governor: Strickland (D) 52%
Blackwell (R) 36%
Senate: Brown (D) 46%
DeWine (R) 40%
- During the filing deadline for August Ted Strickland once again outraised Blackwell. Ted has $2.5 million cash-on-hand advantage now.
Strickland $7,466,806.92
Blackwell $4,927,691.36
- Latest poll for OH-06 (Strickland's seat):
56% Wilson (D)
40% Blasdel (R)
- Latest poll for OH-18 (Ney's seat):
47% Space (D)
43% Undetermined Republican
- In 13th district seat being vacated by Sherrod Brown, democrat Betty Sutton is way ahead of rethug Craig Foltin.
- The Cook Political Report has changed the OH-01 and OH-15 from Lean Republican to Toss Up. Rethugs Steve Chabot and Deborah Pryce are the incumbents.
- According to Larry Sabato's latest "Crystal Ball", its going to be governor Ted Strickland come November. More good news..
At this point, it appears to be less a matter of whether Democrat Ted Strickland will win, than by what kind of margin he will triumph. Will he win by enough to also carry in liberal Democrat Sherrod Brown for the U.S. Senate? Will he be able to generate coattails for some of the Democratic House candidates in an exceptionally rough year for the GOP in Ohio? Republican nominee Ken Blackwell simply has too many burdens that are too heavy to prevail in this year, absent a miracle.
- In an agressive move Ohio Democratic Party is suing gubernatorial candidate and Secretary of State Ken Blackwell to compel him to require the front organization "Common Sense Ohio" to disclose their donors list. This attack org is running negative ads and is being lead by top executive from Proctor & Gamble.
- The U.S. District Court Judge Algenon Marbley has ordered the 88 county boards of elections in Ohio to retain all ballots from the 2004 presidential election which Blackwell was planning to destroy.