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About Appeal tribune. (Silverton, Or.) 1999-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 2017)
2A Wednesday, December 6, 2017 Appeal Tribune Audit details millions in misspent funds at OHA CONNOR RADNOVICH SALEM STATESMAN JOURNAL USA TODAY NETWORK Failure to appropriate- ly determine Medicaid el- igibility for 115,233 recip- ients cost the Oregon Health Authority approx- imately $88 million in "avoidable expenditures," according to an audit re- leased Nov. 29 by the Sec- retary of State's office. The audit focused on various business prac- tices at OHA, specifically that the agency should de- velop methods and addi- tional oversight to pre- vent improper payments and strengthen proce- dures to recover mis- spent money. The audit indicated the agency does not have suf- ficient processes in place to this end. The money detailed in the audit is the most re- cent revelation of mone- tary mismanagement at OHA. The agency recent- ly admitted to overspend- ing approximately $74 million on coordinated care organizations for dual Medicaid- and Medi- care-eligible individuals and $78 million to con- tractors or other entities for errors around abor- tion, prisons and undocu- mented immigrants. "The amount of waste- ful and incompetent spending at OHA has been staggering and has gone on for at least the past four years," Secre- tary of State Dennis Rich- ardson said in a statement accompanying the audit. The audit's recom- mendations included: in- creased oversight of co- ordinated care programs; clarify rules regarding the accountability of Me- dicaid providers for im- proper payments; ex- plore incentive programs to better prevent, detect or recover overpay- ments; and annually rec- oncile all individuals in various computer sys- tems to verify that their eligibility is appropriate- ly re-determined. In his statement, Rich- ardson suggested a posi- tive outcome from the au- dit is that there is now nearly $100 million avail- able to spend for other purposes because the budget was created with You don’t have to be a corporate type to like corporate bonds AT&T INC % 3.022 • Interest paid semiannually Yield to Call • BBB+-rated by Standard & Poor’s Next call: 01/01/2024 @ $100.00 Final Maturity: 04/01/2024 Call or visit your local Edward Jones fi nancial advisor today. www.edwardjones.com Member SIPC LOCAL ADVISORS Salem Area Vin Searles Keizer Area Jeff Davis Surrounding Area Sheryl Resner Bridgette Justis FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR Mission | 503-363-0445 Liberty | 503-581-8580 Keizer | 503-304-8641 Sublimity | 503-769-3180 Michael Wooters Garry Falor Mario Montiel Tim Yount FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR South | 503-362-5439 West | 503-588-5426 Keizer | 503-393-8166 Silverton | 503-873-2454 Caitlin Davis Chip Hutchings Walt Walker FINANCIAL ADVISOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR West | 503-585-1464 Lancaster | 503-585-4689 FINANCIAL ADVISOR Stayton | 503-769-4902 Tim Sparks Kelly Denney FINANCIAL ADVISOR Commercial | 503-370-6159 FINANCIAL ADVISOR Dallas | 503-623-2146 * Yield effective 11/28/17, subject to availability and price change. Yield and market value may fl uctuate if sold prior to maturity, and the amount you receive from the sale of these securities may be more than, less than or equal to the amount originally invested. Bond investments are subject to interest rate risk such that when interest rates rise, the prices of bonds can decrease and the investor can lose principal value. Any bond called prior to maturity may result in reinvestment risk for the owner of the bond. Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen said the agency was tracking close to its budget forecasts. CONNOR RADNOVICH/STATESMAN JOURNAL more people in the sys- tem. However, OHA Direc- tor Pat Allen said the Leg- islative Fiscal Office was aware of the ongoing re- determination of those 115,233 individuals and took that into account when creating the bud- get. He said the agency was tracking close to its budget forecasts and shouldn't need much ad- justing in the 2018 legisla- tive session. Allen said he expects to find more problems within the agency that he was picked to lead in Sep- tember, echoing his com- ments at legislative hear- ings earlier this month. "The audit is a ... rea- sonable assessment of our business practices," Allen said. While OHA agreed with the audit's eight final recommendations, the agency pushed back against some underlying assumptions and esti- mates that were used to arrive at those conclu- sions. The agency disagreed with the audit that there were 31,300 "potential du- plicate" payments in 15 month, because an analy- sis of 2,700 of those trans- actions showed that 98 percent of payments were appropriate. They also disputed the characterization that the $88 million in payments to cover 115,233 people was "avoidable" because federal officials ap- proved delaying eligibil- ity renewals after the complete failure of the Cover Oregon insurance program. Of those people, OHA previously reported that 24,100 no longer qualified for the program and 23,500 failed to respond and were removed from the Medicaid caseload, though they could be ret- roactively added back. Despite those dis- agreements, Allen said he was pleased that the audit OR-0000394452 was done and that they al- ready have begun to im- plement some of the au- dit's recommendations. "We look forward to re- porting on our progress to implement the recom- mendations of the audit and continue to improve our business practices," said Laura Robison, OHA's chief financial of- ficer. The audit also detailed ways that, under previous leadership, OHA delayed providing information or limited access to some employees during the in- vestigation. Managers would tell their employees not to re- spond directly to an audi- tor's follow-up questions, including questions that would take just minutes to answer, according to the report. It also indicat- ed that auditors were di- rected to speak with man- agers who would end up having less familiarity with the information than staff. One example the audit mentioned was when au- ditors requested in Feb- ruary a list of "carve outs" used to perform some testing, information they didn't receive for five months and was incom- plete upon delivery. But the audit also men- tioned that since Robison and Allen took over in September, timeliness and access "dramatically" improved. Contact the reporter at cradnovich@statesman- journal.com or 503-399- 6864, or follow him on Twitter at @CDRadnov- ich. Address P.O. Box 13009 Salem, OR 97309 Phone 503-399-6706 Email sanews@salem.gannett.com Web site www.SilvertonAppeal.com Staff NO Hidden Costs TUALATIN SALEM 8970 SW Tualatin Sherwood Rd 412 Lancaster Drive NE (503) 885-7800 (503) 581-6265 PORTLAND TIGARD 832 NE Broadway 12995 SW Pacifi c Hwy (503) 783-3393 (503) 783-6869 EASTSIDE MILWAUKIE 1433 SE 122nd Ave 17064 SE McLoughlin Blvd (503) 783-6865 (503) 653-7076 Privately owned cremation facility. A Family Owned Oregon Business. OR-SAL0007253-10 www.ANewTradition.com closed permanently on Nov. 18. Along with sell- ing electronics, owner Jason Freilinger and manager Troy Carter built a loyal gaming com- munity, who gathered regularly at the shop, at 218 E. Main Street, to play “Dungeons and Dragons” and “Magic the Gather- ing.” Samarai Madame, a new takeout spot special- izing in Japanese and French provincial cook- ing, opened Nov. 16. Own- ers Marty and Mar’cia Schrock, 20-year Silver- ton residents, share cook- ing duties. Mar’cia cre- ates daily bowls – packed with nutrient-rich foods such as beef and butter- nut squash or chicken and vegetables over rice – that cost $6 for students and $7 for adults. Marty makes a variety of maki sushi, not all of which contains raw fish. Cus- tomers can take out from the shop, located across from City Hall at 202 Jer- sey Street, or receive a delivery at nearby Silver Falls Brewery Ale House. A community fixture since the 1970s, Clear and Practical Account- ing Solutions, moved on Nov. 20 from its location on 1st Street into the building most recently occupied by Almquist Studio at 301 S. James Street. Jon Haynes, busi- ness owner since 2010, bought the building to ac- quire more space and get away from working in a two-story location. C.P.A.S. has four full- time and one part-time employees and special- izes in tax preparation and payroll services. Haynes said he plans to use the additional space to hire more accountants who can serve more cli- ents. Whimsy Etc., Silver- ton’s homegrown bou- tique gift and toy store, sold last month to Kim Knox, who also owns The Chocolate Box. Former owner Bonnie Lester started the store more than seven years ago, briefly operated two stores, and then com- bined them under one roof at 301 E. Main Street three years ago. Dominos Pizza opened at 703 McClaine Street, on Nov. 1. Before that, the closest fran- chise was in Salem. Dom- inos offers takeout piz- zas, seating for 20, and delivery within a 10-min- ute radius. Managers said deliveries reach just past Mt. Angel. Its hours are 10:30 a.m. to midnight Sunday through Thurs- day, and 10:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Satur- day. Big news earlier this Continued from Page 1A P.O. Box 13009 Salem, OR 97309 Fax Simple Cremation $595 Continued from Page 1A year was the grand open- ing of Silver Falls Brew- ery Ale House. The brainchild of Eric Drulin- er and Andrew Fox, the offsite brewery produc- es beers named after landmarks at Silver Falls State Park, and the ale house pours them – and a score of guest beers, root beer and cider – from 24 taps. Located at 207 Jersey Street, the ale house is open to patrons of all ages – not just those 21- and-older – and executive Donna Bahr keeps a se- lection of games and ac- tivities on hand for the younger crowd. Food is delivered onsite by Loco Ono, a BBQ food truck, as well as Old Oak Oven piz- za and Madame Samarai across the street. Hours are 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., closed Tuesdays. Bazaar Americana, is a new shop at 208 E. Main Street offering hand- made and resale items. Owners Tom and Darlene O’Connor sell products made by 15 local hand- crafters, as well as a se- lection of used and an- tique items. They hold classes in sign painting and other crafting on many Sundays. Tom can also often be found play- ing live bluegrass music in the store. It’s open 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Silverton Art & Frame, at 105 S. 1st Street, is in the hands of new owners Scott Bruno and Molly Moreland. The partners spent six weeks in training with former owners Judi DeSantis and Debbie Farmer. Be- fore buying the business, Bruno worked many years in picture framing, and Moreland was a dip- lomat. Their shop offers customer-focused, hands-on framing, as well as sells prints and crafts, many by local art- ists. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The Next Treasure, an antique thrift store, is a dream-come-true for owner Brandy Apger, who has been treasure- hunting at garage sales, estate sales, flea markets and auctions since she was a child. In her shop at 203 Oak Street, she offers “antiques and oddities,” all “with their own sto- ries” to customers. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., closed Tuesdays. A new Dollar General store is slated for con- struction in the spring. In town, it joins another dis- count franchise, Dollar Tree, which opened in September. Silverton’s Planning Commission ap- proved the proposed con- struction of a 9,100- square-foot store at 1095 N. 2nd Street, with drive- way access off both 2nd Street and First Street, just south of Homeplace Restaurant and Seven Brides Brewing. Shop 503-873-8385 LOW COST CREMATION & BURIAL Business President Ryan Kedzierski 503-399-6648 rkedzierski@gannett.com Advertising Terri McArthur 503-399-6630 tmcarthur@Salem.gannett.com Deadlines News: 4 p.m. Thursday Letters: 4 p.m. Thursday Obituaries: 11 a.m. Friday Display Advertising: 4 p.m. Wednesday Legals: 3 p.m. Wednesday Classifieds: 4 p.m. Friday News Tips The Appeal Tribune encourages suggestions for local stories. Email the newsroom, submit letters to the editor and send announcements to sanews@salem.gannett.com or call 503-399-6773. To Place an Ad Classifieds: call 503-399-6789 Retail: call 503-399-6728 Legal: call 503-399-6791 Missed Delivery? Call: 800-452-2511 Hours: until 7 p.m. Wednesdays; until 3 p.m. other weekdays To Subscribe Circulation Manager Art Hyson ahyson@salem.gannett.com 503-399-6846 To subscribe Call: 800-452-2511 $21 per year for home delivery $22 per year for motor delivery $30.10 per year mail delivery in Oregon $38.13 per year mail delivery outside Oregon Main Statesman Journal publication Suggested monthly rates: Monday-Sunday: $22, $20 with EZ Pay Monday-Saturday: $17.50, $16 with EZ Pay Wednesday-Sunday: $18, $16 with EZ Pay Monday-Friday: $17.50, $16 with EZ Pay Sunday and Wednesday: $14, $12 with EZ Pay Sunday only: $14, $12 with EZ Pay To report delivery problems or subscribe, call 800-452-2511 Published every Wednesday by the Statesman Journal, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309. USPS 469-860, Postmaster: Send address changes to Appeal Tribune, P.O. Box 13009, Salem, OR 97309. PERIODICALS POSTAGE PAID: Salem, OR and additional offices. Send letters to the editor and news releases to sanews@salem.gannett.com. Historic Silverton," Palmer said. “It’s not just Silver- ton,” Wallace added. “The (Marquam Hill) al- paca farm is on the Shop Hop, and I never would have gone out to the al- paca farm. But now I know where it is and that they have a nice gift shop that I like.” Palmer said many out- of-town guests will visit Silverton, spend a day shopping and then head to a nearby Christmas tree farm or to events at Silver Falls State Park or Christmas in The Garden at The Oregon Garden. “From our Christmas tree lighting on Dec. 1 to other community events, I really feel like Silverton is a joyous and festive place to celebrate the holiday season,” Palmer said. “There’s something quaint and wonderful about seeing the shops decorated and how wel- coming the merchants are that makes the holi- days a bit more special.” To learn more about the Shop Hop and other events in Silverton, visit www.silvertonchambe- r.org or call 503-873-5615. jmuch@Statesman- Journal.com or cell 503- 508-8157 or follow at twit- ter.com/justinmuch