Category: Health Care
-
In the Business of Health Care Fraud, Virginia is Minnesota
by James C. Sherlock Health care fraudsters are often treated by Virginia elected officials in the same way moonshiners were in this state, as local heroes pursued only by the feds. Many prefer not to interrupt the product flow. They simply want a taste from the jar. Dick Hall-Sizemore, a dedicated contributor to BR and a good…
-
A Solution to the Threats to Medicaid in Virginia
by James C. Sherlock Medicaid fraud is not a new issue, but it has exploded into the public consciousness as the Trump administration has taken action against it. Virtually every critique of Medicaid fraud, from both sides of the debate over how pervasive and costly it is and what to do about it, has been…
-
What Could Possibly Go Wrong?
Read the City Journal article here.
-
Table Stakes: Virginia Nursing Home Chains Selling to REITs
by James C. Sherlock Sometimes, when you are winning big in a table stakes poker game, it can be time to put some money in your pocket. That is part of the game many nursing home chains are playing these days. Everybody wins but the nursing facility residents, Medicare, and Medicaid. The enterprise architecture of…
-
A Consequential Fight
by James C. Sherlock Michael Martz of the Richmond Times-Dispatch published an excellent report April 15 detailing the three-way fight among Governor Abigail Spanberger and various Democrats in the Virginia Senate and House of Delegates over the budget. The Governor proposed “hundreds of changes” to the competing budget bills proposed by each chamber. Long story…
-
Evidence of Intent
by James C. Sherlock Evidence of intentional wrongdoing by specific nursing home chains operating in Virginia is hiding in plain sight. The huge gaps and consistent trends in each exhibit below cannot be attributed to happenstance. It reflects business models rigorously applied. The numbered exhibits draw entirely on a single Center for Medicare & Medicaid…
-
Good News for Medical Research in Virginia
by Dick Hall-Sizemore Remember that edict by the Trump administration capping the indirect costs portion of grants by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) at 15 percent? There was vigorous discussion of that announcement on this blog, with many commentators supporting the move. Well, the Trump administration has given up on that effort. As soon as…
-
The General Assembly is Looking for Experts
by James C. Sherlock This is yet another story of state-sanctioned corruption by elected politicians serving the interests of the nursing home industry. New players, same play. That industry, led this time by out-of-state chains, has once again found it cheaper to buy the votes and influence of senior members of the General Assembly with…
-
When Schools Overreach
by Stephanie Lundquist-Arora As Virginia’s public schools fail at their core mission—educating children—state legislators are expanding their role in ways that encroach on parental rights. Debra Gardner, a former social worker who was first elected to Virginia’s House of Delegates in 2023, introduced HB 355 in January. Beginning in the 2028–2029 school year, the bill would require Virginia’s public…
-
Will Union “Dues Skimming” Come to Virginia?
by Chris Braunlich There are many reasons why Governor Abigail Spanberger should veto the collective bargaining bill headed to her desk, a bill requiring local and state governments to bargain with union bosses even if less than a majority of public employees want the union or the bargaining. There is the fact that it will…
-
Does Medicaid Pay Enough for Nursing Home Residents?
by James C. Sherlock A reader of the last post in this series asked an excellent question: “Is there such a thing as a highly rated facility that has a high number of Medicaid patients?” His premise was that perhaps Medicaid does not pay enough. In an attempt to answer, the author built a spreadsheet…
-
Virginia Nursing Home Quality and the Public’s Right to Know – A New York Solution
by James C. Sherlock The author cannot help but note the service the Virginia Health Care Association (VHCA), the lobbyist for the nursing home industry, offers to Virginia consumers. It deserves recognition. A person looking for a nursing home for mom can visit the VHCA website to find a “quality care provider.” Someone living in…
-
The Virginia Senate’s Louise Lucas Dilemma
by James C. Sherlock Scandals can have real victims. This one certainly does. The victims are poor people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, people who citizens think and hope are cared for by our Medicaid dollars under the Americans with Disabilities Act. A politically powerful member of the Virginia Senate has failed them in her…
-
Building a Better Virginia
“Power of the Pen” details bills on energy, healthcare, the economy, and more that conservatives can get behind. by Lynn Taylor Every April, Virginia observes a particular kind of anniversary — not just of battles, but of decisions. It was in April 1865 that General Lee signed the surrender at Appomattox, bringing the bloodiest chapter…