By Rick Banas of BMA Management, Ltd.
Have we completely lost our sense of right, wrong and justice? In light of two cases I heard about earlier this week, I have to ask.
On Monday, I heard about a man in Iowa who was convicted of defrauding the State’s Medicaid program of close to $140,000.
His penalty consisted of two years probation, 186 hours of community service, and providing just $15,000 in restitution to the State. Or, to put it another way, he was able to keep nearly 90% of the money he stole.
If you say that he will be paying some of that amount back with his hours of community service, let me put it to you this way. If you divide the number of hours of community service that he is required to work into the nearly $125,000 in stolen money that he does not have to reimburse the State, he is making off with the equivalent of $670 an hour.
Who says crime doesn’t pay, at least for the person committing the crime.
The rest of us are left holding the bag, especially when court decisions do not require those who are caught to pay back what they illegally taken.
Here in Illinois, nearly $125,000 in Medicaid funds would cover the cost to the State of a person on Medicaid living in one of our affordable assisted living communities that operate through the Supportive Living program for at least four to five years.
On Wednesday, the talk was about a man by the name of Leroy Fick who won $2 million in June of 2010 in the Michigan Lottery.
Fick is upset about the flack he is getting for continuing to receive food stamps from the Michigan Department of Human Services despite hitting the jackpot almost a year ago on the state lottery television show “Make Me Rich.”
He views himself as a victim who is being unjustly crucified in the court of public opinion.
The state and its laws are to blame. The system is the problem. Michigan has a waiver from the federal government so that assets are not counted toward food stamp eligibility. There is no limit on the amount of liquid assets that a person can have; eligibility is based solely on income.
After all, it’s the State who told him, when he asked the State, that he is entitled to food stamps.
Michigan certainly can take steps to close the loophole. Hopefully, whatever might be done will not create a significant amount of red tape that causes unnecessary delays in approving those who truly have a need for Food Stamps and other Medicaid benefits.
Hopefully as well, folks like Fick will realize the impact of their actions. After all, it is not the government but the taxpayers who provide the funds for Food Stamps. Considering the effort that is required to pick numbers and buy tickets, do they greet with open arms the significant percentage of lottery winnings that is set aside for taxes? Would they welcome the opportunity to dig deep into their pocket and pull out $100 in cash once very month to give to a friend or neighbor who knocks on their door and tells them they just took home more than $850,000 in lottery winnings after taxes but needs money to buy groceries?
What gives me hope are those who are expressing outrage? How about you?
All affordable assisted living communities managed by BMA Management, Ltd. are certified and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services. All assisted living communities are licensed and surveyed by the Illinois Department of Public Health.
“BMA Management, Ltd. is the leading provider of assisted living in Illinois
and one of the 20 largest providers of assisted living in the United States.”
What are your thoughts? Leave a comment and let us know.
