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About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 20, 2017)
3A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • MONDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2017 Another $112 million in Medicaid errors estimated By CLAIRE WITHYCOMBE Capital Bureau SALEM — Oregon may have erroneously paid, allo- cated, inaccurately recorded or over-claimed $112.4 million in health care funds, accord- ing to a letter Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen sent Friday to Oregon Gov. Kate Brown. That figure is on top of the state’s estimated overpayment of $74 million to coordinated care organizations, or CCOs, the state’s regional networks of Medicaid providers, between 2014 and 2016. Allen’s letter follows his statement to legislators this week that the state was likely to see more processing prob- lems come out of the state’s health agency. “...We note that this is likely not an exhaustive and final list of all known issues facing the agency,” Allen wrote Friday. “It is also likely that the details of these issues will evolve as we research them and con- sult in more detail with subject matter experts.” Allen documented two ‘...We note that this is likely not an exhaustive and final list of all known issues facing the agency.’ Oregon Health Authority Director Pat Allen main types of issues: those relating to $44.5 million in possible payment errors; and issues relating to the alloca- tion of about $67.9 million of funds, which range from charging the wrong section of the state’s budget to claiming federal funds for certain pro- cedures that cannot be paid for with federal money. Allen was careful to note that all of those num- bers are estimates, and sub- ject to change based on deeper research into the problems. Two weeks ago, it came out that the state had over- paid CCOs by approximately $74 million for certain patients who were eligible for both Medicaid and Medicare due to classification errors. But the state says $74 mil- lion is still an estimate. Medi- care, a program funded solely by the federal government, may share some of the tab. The state has already recouped $10.1 million of that $74 million figure from CCOs. In Oregon, about 1.1 mil- lion people are on Medicaid, which is funded jointly by the state and the federal govern- ment and covers the poor and other qualifying groups. Medi- care is the health care coverage program for those 65 and older. Allen said in the Friday let- ter that the agency will cre- ate an issue log to document ongoing problems and provide bi-weekly reports to the gover- nor and state lawmakers. The news also comes prior to the completion of an OHA audit by the secretary of state, expected to be released by early December. Ethics commission denies Kitzhaber settlement Mom speaks on behalf of teen accused of wildfire By PARIS ACHEN Capital Bureau SALEM — The Oregon Government Ethics Commis- sion on Friday voted 7-to-1 to deny a proposed settle- ment in which former Gov. John Kitzhaber agreed to pay $1,000 to resolve ethics com- plaints that he and first lady Cylvia Hayes used their pub- lic positions for profit, failed to disclose conflicts of interest and inappropriately accepted gifts. Kitzhaber on Wednesday admitted he violated state eth- ics laws on four occasions and said he did so unintentionally. The former governor said he did not disclose a conflict of interest related to Hayes’ paid consulting contracts based on the advice of his attorney at the time. Kitzhaber said he was sur- prised by the commission’s decision, because ethics com- mission staff members had proposed the terms of the agreement. News of the proposed set- tlement spawned criticism that the penalty was too lenient on Kitzhaber’s missteps during his role as the state’s highest elected official. Several ethics commission- ers said they wanted to require Kitzhaber to pay a more severe fine given the former gov- ernor’s high-profile posi- tion. Accepting the settlement could threaten the legitimacy of the watchdog agency, they asserted. “That is really troubling to me that we are excusing the behavior of the highest official of our state because he sought counsel,” said Commissioner Charles Starr. “I think a larger fine is nec- essary for our reputation as a commission ... because any- body serving at the highest level has a greater responsibil- ity to the public.” Commission Chairman Dan Golden was the dissent- ing vote in the rejection of the settlement. He said the $1,000 sanction was appropri- ate, based on the commission’s formula for calculating fines. Kitzhaber had no prior ethics violations, which factored into Don Ryan/Associated Press Former Gov. John Kitzhaber. the recommended penalty, said Ron Bersin, commission exec- utive director. The proposed settlement “treated this former gover- nor like we do other officials at a higher level,” Golden said. “There is no amount that addresses the loss of credi- bility and the things associ- ated with the fall of this pub- lic figure.” Friday’s denial means that ethics investigators will write a report on the findings of their probe of the allegations. Once submitted to the com- mission, the report becomes a public record. Settlement negotiations could continue simultaneously. The proposed settlement, which Kitzhaber signed, stated that he violated Oregon law four times by benefiting from frequent flier miles he accrued from state travel between 2011 and 2013 and failing to disclose conflicts of interest related to Hayes’ consulting company in 2013. The company, 3E Strate- gies, received paid consulting contracts from 2011 to 2013. In a statement Wednesday, Kitzhaber said he accepted full responsibility for the violations. “I apologize to Orego- nians for failing to disclose a potential conflict of interest, although the ethical violations at issue were wholly uninten- tional,” Kitzhaber said. “In the case reviewed by the Ethics Commission, I did not perceive a conflict of interest because I understood the work that Ms. Hayes was doing for various non-profit organiza- tions was not directed at try- ing to shape or influence state policy but, rather, to educate people regarding the issues to which she had committed her professional career.” Kitzhaber argued that he also received advice from his attorney that he did not need to disclose a potential conflict. Ethics Commissioner Ali- son Kean said she would like to see evidence of that legal advice, which had not been revealed to date as part of the investigation. The commission voted unanimously in July to pur- sue an official investigation of the former governor and his fiancée. The agency in February 2015 had suspended a pre- liminary review of three com- plaints of alleged ethics vio- lations against the couple, triggered by pending state and federal investigations. PORTLAND — Those backlash and that the boy’s close to a 15-year-old boy school-age siblings might accused of starting a wild- face retaliation. fire by tossing fireworks The blaze, which started Sept. 2, along a f o r c e d trail in Ore- ‘This is a gon’s sce- evacua- nic Colum- trauma for tions, closed bia River an inter- him. It was state high- Gorge says way, and he is from a church-go- his mistake.’ s c o r c h e d ing large more than Mother of Ukrainian 75 square accused teen miles. family mor- tified by H o o d what happened. River County District Attor- The teen, from Vancou- ney John Sewell hasn’t ver, Washington, has been released the boy’s name. He charged with reckless burn- says confidentiality is nec- ing and other offenses in essary to protect his parents. Hood River Juvenile Court. The case has sparked His mother told the Ore- fierce debate over the gonian/OregonLive that potential consequences for “this is a trauma for him” the boy, including whether and “it was his mistake.” his family should be finan- She said she fears a public cially liable for damages. WANTED Alder and Maple Saw Logs & Standing Timber Northwest Hardwoods • Longview, WA Contact: John Anderson • 360-269-2500 Nutcracker The Dancers with 50 piece symphony Saturday December 2 nd 2 pm and 7:30 pm 95 Hamburg 503-325-4341 www.englundmarine.com MADDOX Dance Studio Sunday December 3 rd 2 pm AHS Auditorium Tickets Liberty Theatre online and box office 389 S. MAIN AVE. · WARRENTON 503-861-1971 · maddoxdancers.com Life member of Dance Educators of America | Certified to teach Dance Masters of AmericaMember Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce ON THE RECORD DUII • At 11:09 a.m. Friday, Marsha Waugh, 60, of Seaside, was arrested by the Seaside Police Department on Holla- day Drive and charged with driving under the influence of intoxicants. Her blood alcohol content was 0.22. • At 1:55 p.m. Friday, Susan Stacks, 60, of Nehalem, was arrested by the Seaside Police Department on Cooper Street and S. Wahanna Road and charged with DUII. Her blood alcohol content was 0.19 Assault • At 11:27 p.m. Satur- day, Jesse Alan Peasley, 35, of Astoria, was arrested by the Clatsop County Sheriff’s Office on the 1260 block of Niagara Avenue and charged with fourth-degree assault and harassment. He allegedly was involved in a physical domes- tic dispute with a woman. Sex abuse • At 12:34 a.m. Sunday, Matthew Stineman, 30, of Astoria, was arrested by the Astoria Police Department at Annie’s Saloon strip club and charged with second-degree sex abuse and harassment. He allegedly touched a woman inappropriately while receiv- ing a lap dance. In observance of Thanksgiving T HE D AILY A STORIAN will be closed November 23 rd Fishing Gear Clam Guns Rods & Reels Outdoor Clothing Boots Rain Gear Electronics Radios GPS Navigation Maintenance Safety Flashlights Heating Boating Accessories Power & Hand Tools And So Much More! THE NEWSPAPER WILL BE DELIVERED BY 9 A.M. ON THURSDAY