Daymark Recovery, Insuring 38,000 clients in 29 Counties Backs Medicaid Waiver But Non Disclosure Agreement Trashing of Public Records Law Ignored

If NC DHHS and by default, large companies such as Daymark, see advantages to the Medicaid Waiver, then creating a LEGAL Non Disclosure Agreement in order to launch the Medicaid Waiver, that does not trash NC Public Health Records laws should be attended to. That would be the start of creating 'more accountability.'

Here is the article and its link: http://www.ncsapa.org/2011/executive-calls-for-changes-in-behavioral-services/

An influential voice in the intense debate over behavioral-health reform believes the state should give the groups charged with managing services more oversight power.

However, Billy West Jr., the executive director of Daymark Recovery Services Inc., also wants local management entities (LME), such as CenterPoint Human Services, to take on more accountability to ensure the system meets community and patient needs.

West’s opinion matters since Daymark, based in Lexington, is a nonprofit that provides mental-health and substance-abuse services for about 38,000 clients in 29 counties.

It also is noteworthy because few providers, large and small, discuss their opinions publicly out of concern for affecting their relationships with LME management officials.

West said LMEs need more oversight authority in order to keep the state from wasting money.

“Three years in a row, the state has spent almost $1 billion on community support Medicaid services only to find fraud, financial waste, enabling of patients and a high state hospital rate,” West said.

West said some of the fraud and inefficiency is a byproduct of not having all LMEs operate with a Medicaid waiver program, which allows LMEs to control how federal Medicaid money is spent.

Advocates are concerned the waiver program puts fewer restrictions on how LMEs manage the providers and services they oversee — allowing them to funnel clients to certain groups.