Maine Medicaid Investigation
Below is a video you have to see to believe.
A guy walks into a Biddeford, Maine Department of Health and Human Services office, and asks about getting taxpayer-funded government health care. He confesses that he runs a “pharmaceutical imports” business that is operated in international waters, and takes only cash and “precious metals” as pay, keeping no records. He also mentions that he owns a Corvette.
The response of the DHHS worker has to be seen to believed.
You can read the full transcript of the conversation here.
Check out the business card and picture of boat “Ted” showed to DHHS worker.
This video is shocking proof that there is a very real possibility that welfare and Medicaid fraud are taking place here in Maine.
Last fall, MHPC rolled out a major campaign focused on the dependency problem in Maine. Our Fix the System campaign highlighted that our vast welfare system is vulnerable to fraud, waste and inefficiencies and this video shows that those concerns are real and present problems in our state.
We have to reform our welfare system, and we have to do it now.
*If you would like to continue to see government abuse, waste and fraud rooted out, please consider donating to MHPC today to help us continue our work of holding government at all levels accountable to the taxpayer.
Shocking Video Reveals Vulnerability to Fraud within Maine’s Welfare System | The Maine Heritage Policy Center
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
[...] CLICK HERE to watch the footage shown at today’s press conference. [...]
Shocking Video Reveals Vulnerability to Fraud within Maine’s Welfare System | Fix Maine Welfare
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
[...] CLICK HERE to watch the footage shown at today’s press conference. [...]
steve
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
The DHHS worker probably would have received "Employee of the Month" in the Baldacci Administration
Cassie
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
Good job at wasting everybody else's time that had to wait in the lobby for "real" problems while this jack was making a mockery out of it. They show you the one that made it through, however they don't show the other 90 that had to jump through hoops.
Cece
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
Watch the full length video (this is an edited portion) and you will see that this new case worker got her experienced supervisor to come in for the interview. No fraud occurred as this man did not receive benefits. The case worker is clearly uncomfortable with this man. He's implying he imports &/or exports drugs. She's probably patronizing him.
J. Comart
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
It would be far more useful to show those wrongfully denied, than to waste time with this stuff. This guy would not get Mainecare. He got nothing. You people need to grow up.
AC
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
It is so frustrating that this happens because there are many who are in need who can't qualify for help because it looks like they "make too much" and the reality is, they are drowning just to get by!
Heather
Posted on Aug 11, 2011
If you watch the video Channel 13 has then you can tell that the transcript offered on this page is also edited as well, there was A LOT more to it then is shown here. The video on Channel 13 shows the WHOLE interview right from him walking down the hall into the room. She tells him in the begging he will go on a waiting list and they verify everything. and tries to get him to call other places that offer insurance in Maine. Yeah originally this video looks bad because it was so taken out of context. I do agree this is a waste of every ones time that could really be getting services instead of playing games with the workers who already don't have enough time in a day to see everyone
Angela
Posted on Aug 12, 2011
Yeah they may have left out the RIGHT things she did say or do like calling other insurances for the guy, but she was still 100% wrong in A LOT of ways as well. First off, he admitted he was working and received his pay in cash only because he is a drug dealer or in that illegal "business", and she continues to help this guy after he stated something illegal, um hello, shes working for the government for god sakes i'm sure any other employee would report that to someone or at least have some common sense not to continue the process, damn it happens to MANY people MOST at that, yeah the ones who really need it.. He clearly stated he does receive money, under the table or not he still mentioned his illegal job and how he does receive a 'different' kind of income, oh and that he has a corvette. In my opinion, a right and a wrong should never be compared. You may be doing or saying right things, but when its all brought together wrong is wrong, i dont care how many things she did "right" in the end what she did was wrong regardless the rights..And everyone has the right to focus on this situation, because there are many people struggling out there, myself is one of them. I am not afraid to ask for help if i really desperately need it, and when they send me letters in the mail stating i will no longer receive my benefit, or almost in tears knowing me and my boyfriend got laid off from our jobs with a 15 month old child. Or the bad news of not being able to receive unemployment benefits, now what? Go through DHS and see what services they have, but oh i don't qualify because my boyfriend does receive unemployment a whole 180 dollars a week and they take the rest out for child support!? How do you honestly survive off that! It is wrong, when people need it the most they can't get it, but look how easy it was for him. Pleasantly explaining his illegal job and does receive money, but oh hey it don't count if you have no proof? Really, he clearly said he got money. You know something, its not that they need to boost the training with the employees, Its obviously not taking the time to watch videos or maybe even have it recorded in someway to make sure things like this don't happen, or at least be more secure..Everyone in the world needs some kind of help these days, we all in this world know what DHS is, theres one everywhere..Its the lack of common sense and the higher end not doing their job correctly..
Illinois Conservative
Posted on Aug 12, 2011
Just had need to call the county to request Meals on Wheels for a friend who broke her foot and can't put any weight on it. For a teenager jumping around on one foot would be a problem for someone 69 years old, it is impossible. Well I was told that it would take 4-6 weeks to get into an assessment and then after the assessment, her name would be put on a waiting list for Meals on Wheels because it is a very popular program. Unfortunately she needs help NOW, not in 4 to 6 weeks! Why is it that everytime you really do have a need to use these programs, they make the hoops so high you can't even jump through them? But the liars and the thiefs don't mind waiting cause they're getting money or benefits they don't really deserve!
A rose by any other name… « From Away
Posted on Aug 12, 2011
[...] of the video a cry has gone out for the need for more “training” as well it should. Often [...]
Candice
Posted on Aug 12, 2011
Three things kept this guy from getting benefits. 1) He didn't bring ID, I would say deliberately to prove identity and citizenship etc. 2) There is a waiting list for MaineCare probably because there are a lot of real people like this actor who are taking advantage. 3) He deliberately did not file because he would have had to sign to the factualness of the information such as address etc. and this was an actor testing the system deliberately lying to the extreme trying to get these people to step up and he wasn't about to break the law by swearing the information was true when he knew it wasn't and had no real intention of filing. What was really disgusting was both these women tried very hard for 47 minutes to get this guy to file for benefits having him pinned behind the table blocking his path to the door. If you watch the video you will see that the Supervisor places herself strategically in the space between the end of the table and the wall in such a way as to, at the very least establish a psychological barrier to exit. The techniques used in this "interview" are very similar to those used by law enforcement in high pressure interrogations.
philip macdonald
Posted on Aug 12, 2011
wow!!! whats really shocking is the number of people commenting here trying to defend DHS ..saying that no fraud actually occurred and that this was just a giant waste of time .. WAKE-UP this is just an example of how DHS willfully helps people skirt the rules and screw the taxpayers of this state ,,i beleive that nobody should speak to something they know nothing about ..so i will say only this;;; i personly know approx. five individuals that are currently on the dole.. four of them are doing it fraudulently !!! and when i try to make someone aware of this i'm pretty much told to shut-up and move along ,,,like it or not this is a small sliver of what is going on at our state agencies ,and i'm sorry to say the truth sometimes hurts !!!!!!
Ben J.
Posted on Aug 14, 2011
This is the worst kind of partisan "journalistic" hackery I've seen in quite some time. Embarrassing. Are the people who donate to DHPC the same ones who fall for Nigerian wire scams? I'll be the first to admit that Maine has problems that need fixing desperately. But when you compare the relatively miniscule amount of potential welfare scams that *might* be attempted (and I said might, not are) to our massive unemployment problem, coupled with the wholesale selling out of our beautiful state to large corporate interests who have our governor in their pocket thanks to their donations, and it's obvious that this article is a distraction from the real issues.
KB
Posted on Aug 17, 2011
I cant believe that you people sit here and talk bad about the guy running this investigation it is an outrage. You are the same people that voted for the idiots that put us in this position. We are a destination state for welfare and we have people funneling in to our state taking money they do not deserve. Welfare was created to help people that payed into it not to finance the American dream for some Somalian or any foreigner for that matter. There are plenty of people that need help and deserve it but are left without. One of the comments listed was criticizing this guy for taking up time because there is plenty of people waiting. How many of those are Americans that deserve it? Not many and that is the truth it also spoke about the people that have to jump thru hoops to get assistance well why do you think it is such a pain. I will tell you its because there is 1200 people before you that are on the list and don't deserve it but are given help anyway. Its funny cause it is usually the people that are all for letting this go on that are the first to bitch when taxes are raised. You people make me sick pull your head from your ass and see the light we need to stop giving away money for free and stop the immigration of the foreigners and bring the benefits back to the Mainers that have payed for them. It is not only limited to just foreigners it also includes the shit bags that don't want to do anything for them self's and want to leach from the state because that's how there parents where. Its crazy young woman getting pregnant to have a free meal ticket and most of the time more then one because instead of shunning this behavior we promote it by telling them they can get more money if they have more kids and if you have more kids they will give you free housing if you qualify for that then the will give you food stamps that usually get sold for the recipients drug of choice. Its time for a change no more free loading lets take care of the elderly the people that need us most and leave the losers to fend for them selves instead of promoting the easy life of sponging off the state.