Combatting
Medicaid Fraud
Yesterday, I introduced a bill to reinstate the False Claims Act. This
bill restores the ability of a private individual, or whistleblower, to
bring a qui tam claim against a person or entity who makes a false claim
for Medicaid. A qui tam claim, as it relates to the Medical Assistance
program under the bill, is a claim initiated by a private individual on
his or her own behalf and on the behalf of the state against a person or
entity who makes a fraudulent claim for Medical Assistance. The bill
provides, as did the law before its 2015 repeal, that of moneys
recovered as a result of a qui tam claim, a private individual may be
awarded up to 30% of the amount recovered, depending upon the extent the
individual’s contribution to the prosecution of the action.
As a result of the False Claims Act between 2012 and 2014 alone,
Wisconsin recovered $28 million from companies who were caught
defrauding the state’s Medicaid program. Republicans, under Governor
Walker’s leadership, repealed Wisconsin’s False Claims Act in the 2015
state budget bill.
Under federal law, states are allowed to enact a False Claims Act
enabling them to collect triple damages in these Medicaid fraud cases.
Since the Wisconsin law was repealed, it is estimated that the state has
lost over $11 million in settlement money from companies caught
defrauding the Medicaid program. Most notably, as a direct result of
repealing the False Claims Act, Wisconsin collected $695,430 less than
it should have in the national settlement against drug manufacturer,
Mylan, for underpaying Medicaid rebates.
Republicans should never had repealed the False Claims Act. It is time
to get serious about ending fraud in Medicaid and holding those who take
advantage of taxpayers for their own financial gain accountable for
their actions.
Republicans
Refuse to Close Background Check Loophole
On Tuesday, Democrats moved to consider AB 65, which would require
universal background checks for all firearm sales. Republicans voted
down the measure that would have required background checks, amending
the bill in a classic bait and switch to remove any background check
requirement.
Less than one week ago, a 19-year-old entered a Florida high school with
a semiautomatic AR-15 rifle and killed seventeen people, many of them
students. The school shooting last week was the eighth school shooting
to have resulted in death or injury during the first seven weeks of
2018.
We have all heard the voices of young people, standing up and speaking
out since the school shooting in Parkland. As elected officials, we have
a responsibility to heed their call to action. We can end the epidemic
of gun violence so no family must fear for their children’s safety
whether at home, at school, or out in the community.
In Wisconsin, federally licensed dealers are required to perform a
background check on all firearm sales, but private sellers are not. AB
65, as it was originally introduced, would have closed this loophole in
Wisconsin law and ensure that a background check is performed before any
gun purchase, whether done through a licensed dealer, at a gun show,
online, or anywhere else.
Republicans spent hours Tuesday doing everything they could procedurally
to avoid a vote on requiring background checks for all gun purchases,
making me wonder why they are so afraid. Unfortunately, Republicans and
the NRA have blocked even the most common sense measures, like requiring
background checks for all gun purchases, at every turn. Our children and
our families cannot wait another day, another year, or for the next
legislative session. The time to prevent gun violence is now.
This
Week on the Assembly Floor
Tuesday
Assembly Republicans passed Assembly Bill 759 which will exempt the
rent-to-own industry from the Wisconsin Consumer Act and eliminate
interest rate disclosure requirements for rent-to-own transactions. For
years, Wisconsin residents have benefited from protection against the
predatory tactics and questionable practices of the rent-to-own industry
through the Wisconsin Consumer Act and interest rate disclosure
requirements. With passage of this bill, Republicans have again put
moneyed special interests ahead of the people of Wisconsin by giving
these companies carte blanche to take advantage of vulnerable consumers
with impunity. Republicans have sold out to the predatory rent-to-own
industry, leaving Wisconsin consumers to literally pay the price.
Wednesday
Assembly Bill 953 passed the Assembly on a unanimous vote. Under the
bill, Lincoln Hills, Wisconsin’s troubled youth corrections facility
which has been under investigation throughout much of Governor Walker’s
time in office, will close at the beginning of 2021 and the Department
of Corrections could then decide whether to turn it into an adult
prison.
The bill will make $25 million available for the state to open one or
more new prisons for the most serious juvenile offenders, including
those convicted of homicide, armed robbery and sexual assault. Under the
bill, there will be $15 million for the Mendota Juvenile Treatment
Center to expand to accommodate at least 29 new offenders. The state
would also make $40 million available in grants for counties to help pay
for costs to house the less serious offenders.
Since entering office in 2011, the Walker Administration has been well
aware of the problems that have existed at Lincoln Hills. It has taken
far too long for the problems with Lincoln Hills to be addressed.
Thursday
On the last day of the Assembly floor session, I had hoped we would pass
more bills that would make a positive difference in the lives of
Wisconsin residents, but Republicans have continually refused to address
the issues that matter most to ordinary Wisconsinites.
You might have heard that Wisconsin has a budget surplus, but that is
only true if you cook the books and use accounting tricks. If you
examine the state budget like any family, small business, or local
government budget, then the state presently has a $1.6 billion budget
deficit. Nevertheless, Assembly Republicans moved ahead with an election
year gimmick to create a one-time $100 sales tax rebate per child and
create a sales tax holiday over the first weekend in August.
Assembly Republicans also passed Assembly Bill 748, a bill which takes
away the ability of local communities to set fair employment standards
based on their own needs and values. While the state has an important
role in protecting our workforce and enforcing workplace standards, we
should set the floor, not the ceiling on things like fair employment
standards and living wages. Democrats continue standing up for the
regular folks in our local communities, even as Republicans engage in a
race to the bottom on behalf of big money special interests.
State
Assembly Proclaims March 19 as Wisconsin Celebrating Women in Public
Office Day
Yesterday, the State Assembly passed Assembly Joint Resolution 105,
which I author, that proclaims March 19 to be “Celebrating Women in
Public Office Day” in Wisconsin. While the twentieth century was a
pivotal time of growth for women entering politics, women remain
underrepresented. In Wisconsin, only 25% of the state legislative seats
are represented by women. On March 19, during Women’s History Month,
municipalities and states across the nation will unite to support the
success of women in public office. Additionally, there are activities,
events, and programs scheduled which will recognize the importance of
women in public office throughout the country. Now more than ever we
need more strong women serving in elected positions at all levels of
government.
Good
News: Three Authored Bills Advance
Two bills I authored passed the State Senate this week and now head to
the Governor’s desk. The first of these bills (AB 85) will allow
municipal officials to serve as election officials. Prior to 2016, it
was not unusual for members of City Councils and Village or Town Boards
to serve as poll workers on Election Day. The practice was discontinued
after an attorney from the League of Wisconsin Municipalities provided a
legal opinion that the practice is actually prohibited under state
statute. The City of Madison alone lost four highly experienced chief
polling inspectors due to the new interpretation of current law. This
bill will provide a common sense fix to state law by once again allowing
local elected officials to serve as election officials, as had
previously been the widely accepted practice.
Another bill headed to the governor’s desk is AB 787, which would create
a grant program for counties, non-profits, and tribes to fund
initiatives that support foster families as they strive to provide
normalcy for Wisconsin’s foster care population. This legislation will
help us retain foster families and support foster children by providing
flexible funding that may be used for necessary resources, specialized
training to meet individual needs, and to cover expenses that help
foster children achieve normalcy.
This bill was a part of the Foster Forward package of bills that came
out of the Foster Care Task Force I served on last year. These bills are
important first steps in improving the lives of children and families in
our foster care system. The Foster Forward bills now await votes in both
the full Senate and Assembly.
Another bipartisan bill I authored, AB 836, passed the State Assembly
and now moves on to the State Senate. AB 836 ensures that as Dane County
grows, laws designed specifically for Milwaukee County will not be
arbitrarily applied to our county as well.
Notice:
2018 Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Meeting
The 2018 Wisconsin Conservation Congress Spring Hearing questionnaire is
now available online. You can access that by
clicking here. Each county will host a public hearing on Monday,
April 9th where individuals interested in natural resources management
will have an opportunity to provide input on local and statewide
conservation issues.
Here in Dane County, the meeting will take places at Monona Grove High
School in the auditorium (4400 Monona Drive, Monona, WI 53716).
Reminder:
Tax Scams Around Every Corner
This year’s tax season is a particularly active time for criminals who
are targeting taxpayers. It is important to remember that if the
Wisconsin Department of Revenue or Internal Revenue Service need to
reach you, they will send you a letter in the US Mail. Neither of these
agencies will send you emails or call you. If you receive a threatening
phone call from someone claiming to be with one of these agencies –
simply hang up.
Some tax scams involve stealing your identity and filing fraudulent
returns. The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection is advising taxpayers of some things that are indications
that someone may have misused your identity to file a fraudulent return:
-multiple returns were filed under your Social Security number,
-you receive a letter or refund check regarding a return you did not
file, or
-you owe additional taxes or are facing collection actions for a year
you did not file a return.
The risk of tax identity theft is very real in Wisconsin. In 2016 alone,
tax identity theft was a factor in 75% of the identity theft complaints
filed.
Before you file, you can check whether a 2017 Wisconsin income tax
return has been filed in your name by visiting the Wisconsin Department
of Revenue website (https://revenue.wi.gov; click on the “Online
Services” link at the top of the homepage).
If you believe that you may be the victim of tax identity theft, report
the suspected fraud by phone to the IRS(1-800-829-0433) and the
Wisconsin Department of Revenue (1-608-266-2486). DATCP’s Consumer
Protection Bureau offers a Tax ID Theft packet online (https://datcp.wi.gov)
to assist consumers with next steps to protect against additional harm,
and callers to the agency’s Consumer Protection Hotline (1-800-422-7128)
can inquire about ways to further protect their identities.
Wisconsin
Fun Fact: Black History Month
In recognition of Black History Month, February’s fun facts will
highlight pioneering achievements and contributions of African Americans
with a connection to Madison. Black History Month gives us all an
opportunity to recognize the significant contributions people of African
heritage have made and continue to make today.
Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun was the first play written by
an African American woman to be produced on Broadway. Hansberry attended
the University of Wisconsin in the late 1940s. When she wrote A Raisin
in the Sun, she used the perspective of her own family’s harsh
experiences as Africans Americans moved into an all-white Chicago
neighborhood.
Hansberry died of cancer at the very young age of 34.