Concerned about whether billions in Minnesota taxpayer funds were actually being used for direct patient care, MNA RN leaders including President Linda Hamilton began pushing in early 2011 for what has now become a federal investigation of the state’s financial dealings with non-profit HMOs. With the story continuing to evolve, we’ve compiled this post to help chronicle the history of the issue and MNA’s role in it.
Background: In late 2010, KSTP-TV Investigative Reporter Jay Kolls broke a story featuring former Minnesota Hospital Association Attorney Dave Feinwachs. Dave was fired by the MHA after insinuating that Department of Human Services officials under Governor Tim Pawlenty’s administration had been looking the other way while non-profit HMO Executives raked in nearly $4 billion in taxpayer dollars per budget cycle for services they could not prove they provided. Worse yet, there were no records or documents that could be produced for public review. On March 23, 2011, Gov. Mark Dayton signed an Executive Order demanding more transparency and clarity from the HMOs in reporting the profits they are making from providing state health care services.
2011 Archives
- Read the March 23 MPR story – “Dayton orders more transparency from health plans”
- Read the March 19 Star Tribune Editorial – “UCare Donation Raises Questions”
- Watch the report from KSTP-TV’s Jay Kolls on the secret memo HMOs put together detailing their controversial plans for the PMAPs.
- Read Dave Feinwachs’ story in MinnPost regarding the issue and its alarming lack of transparency.
- Read the Politics in Minnesota piece “Picking the Lock on HMOs ‘Black Box’.”
- Watch the Feb. 8 press conference featuring MNA President Linda Hamilton, RN, and other concerned healthcare advocates.
- Watch the Feb. 8 news coverage – “Lawmakers Grill HMOs Over $3 Billion in Taxpayer Money”
ADDITIONAL VIDEOS
The original “HMO Black Box” video that started it all:
[vimeo=17156418]
A Summary of 2011 TV News Coverage:
[youtube=http://youtu.be/jav-Jnh9Qcg]