If you've been following the story of the
massive amounts of non-budget items that have been crammed into the Wisconsin State Budget, you already know it contains that every little wish list items that the minds of Scott Walker and the GOP can dream up. These insertions have NOTHING to do with the budget, but are piled inside to avoid public input or debate.
More horror is STILL being found in the (originally) 1800 page budget as it sits on Scott Walkers desk awaiting signature. Today, someone found that provisions to encourage whistleblowers to come forward are being repealed for those reporting Medicaid fraud.
The state budget passed this week by the Legislature repeals a law that encourages whistle-blowers with evidence of Medicaid fraud to come forward.
Wisconsin has recovered millions of dollars from lawsuits initiated by whistle-blowers since the law was enacted in 2007.
The repeal of the law — no more than a few words and a reference to a section in the state statute — was included in an omnibus motion on Medicaid by the Joint Finance Committee and drew little attention.
There were no hearings or even public discussion by the committee.
Whistle-blower protection was enacted in 2005 because of the federal Deficit Reduction Act which encouraged states to vigorously pursue cases of Medicaid fraud by rewarding whistleblowers and giving the state extra money in settlements if they passed whistleblower provisions in their state. Wisconsin, aware that millions of dollars have been recovered in the past, enacted such a law.
Those provisions, however, have been opposed by the Chamber of Commerce and their political lackeys are always ready to please them (and their campaign dollars).
The motion containing the repeal of the state law was made by Sen. Alberta Darling (R-River Hills) and Rep. John Nygren (R-Marinette), the co-chairs of the Joint Finance Committee.
Nygren's office did not respond to an email on the provision in the motion. Darling's office referred questions to Sen. Leah Vukmir (R-Wauwatosa), who could not be reached Friday.
Yes, they're hiding since the light has been turned on this sneaky deed.
So, why is encouraging whistleblowers important? Here's an example:
Whistle-blowers also would have less financial incentive to come forward in smaller cases when the Medicaid fraud is limited to Wisconsin, because they would receive only a share of the money recovered by the federal government.
Cross represented a whistle-blower in a lawsuit that recently led to a $31.5 million settlement with PharMerica, which provides pharmacy services to nursing homes and other institutional customers as well as other services in 45 states.
The lawsuit alleged the company illegally dispensed drugs, such as OxyContin and fentanyl, without valid prescriptions, and falsely billed the government for them.
Whistle blowers are discouraged from coming forward because it puts their jobs and reputations on the line. We know the stories about what happens when someone comes forward to expose wrongdoing. They get fired, they lose access, they get impossible assignments or extra work to do, their past evaluations are edited to reflect poor performance, and the company they work for creates multiple "witnesses" to "wrongdoing" by the employee to sully their reputation or make it appear that they have an axe to grind against the company.
It's no secret that Republicans love business. Especially big business. But when they go to extremes to keep corrupt business rolling in tax dollars by discouraging whistle blowing, is the next step to legalize theft by business?
So, once again we have a terrible non-budget policy item crammed inside of a budget to hide it until it becomes law. Republicans should be ashamed, but they aren't.
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
UPDATE: Scott Walker Announced He'll Sign Budget Tomorrow
Scott Walker just announced he
plans to sign the budget tomorrow, July 12, one day before his official "I'm running for President" announcement.
Walker, who only does private, invitation only events, has scheduled the budget signing to happen inside of a business in Waukesha County, the reddest county in Wisconsin. The next day, he'll also be announcing his Presidential bid in Waukesha County.
Walker's budget signing comes 12 days late, rather than weeks early as he had hoped, and with the largest number of GOP no votes of any of his three budgets. But he is keeping his promise to sign the state spending and taxing plan before announcing his presidential run and embarking on a weeklong tour of four early primary states — Nevada, South Carolina, New Hampshire and above all Iowa.
As he signs the budget, Walker will announce whether he will use his powerful partial veto pen to nix controversial parts of the bill added by GOP lawmakers, such as new leeway for payday lenders and protection for a large oil pipeline from interference by local officials.
The budget is so laden with secretly inserted non-budget items I'm surprised it hasn't imploded under its own dead weight. It was so heavy with extreme Republican insertions that 11 Republicans voted against it.
Even business opposes some of the non-budgetary insertions:
One part Walker is being urged to veto is a measure that would allow payday lenders to provide more services, such as insurance, annuities and financial advice.
"As written, (the provision) creates an unlimited scope of authority for payday lenders not given to any other financial institution," says a letter to Walker sent Friday by a coalition of business groups.
"It permits payday lenders to engage in any business they wish as long as they obtain a license, if one is necessary...No other financial institution has that kind of unlimited authority."
Walker no longer cares about Wisconsin. He's only focused on becoming President. We'll see what he does tomorrow.
.