Here we go again.
A private agency entrusted by the state with handling personal information on thousands of Hoosiers proves unable to handle the responsibility.
This is not some tiny error, either.
Many of your friends and neighbors might have had extremely personal details sent to other people…things like names, dates of birth, and medical and financial information, not to mention Social Security numbers.
And it’s not like it just happened either. The error was made in early April, discovered in early May and fixed later that month. They didn’t get around to admitting it to the public until a few days back.
Once found out, the usual excuses and apologies were hastily offered. We were assured not many people were hurt, and the private vendor accepted full responsibility. Hopefully, the financial penalties being imposed on the vendor that made this mistake will keep this kind of thing from happening again.
But keep in mind that this problem involves a state agency—FSSA—that was supposed to be a role model for private operation of public services. Back in 2006, the Daniels administration turned over eligibility services for Medicaid, food stamps and other programs to IBM. It was hailed as a step into the future.
Instead, it was a nightmare. Services were terminated for no reason, and that was just the surface of what went wrong. I still get an occasional complaint about lost paperwork causing benefits to be denied.
It went so wrong that the Daniels Administration terminated the IBM contract in 2009. The matter ended up in court, and taxpayers like you and me ended up paying the bill for it…to the tune of many millions of dollars.
So now we have this.
Much like the last administration, it certainly seems like this one is all too eager to fiddle around with programs that are crucial to helping the less fortunate in our state.
We must keep our hands off big businesses and corporations, but people who need a little help from government are perfect lab rats, and if things don’t work out, well, let’s try something else that makes them feel a little less valued in our society.
Another concern must be addressed.
When will people start to realize the perils that come from putting functions of government into the hands of private, for-profit companies?
And now we have a second scandal involving FSSA.
These are mistakes being made with your tax dollars. You have the right to ask for more from your state government.
State Representative Gail Riecken
Indiana House District 77
But privatizing solves everything! Especially lining the pockets of your cronies. See Halliburton re: Afghanistan and Dick “drunk shooter” Cheney.
I think that Halliburton and crew enriched themselves because our government intervened in the affairs of a foreign country. If the Bush and Obama administrations would have taken care of their job here instead of in the middle east Halliburton would not have had a carcas to feed on.
FYI, Pence voted against the elimination of “No Bid Contracts” so his Uncle Dick could pull his trick.
Mike Pence on Homeland Security
Click here for 15 full quotes on Homeland Security OR background on Homeland Security.
Voted YES on extending the PATRIOT Act’s roving wiretaps. (Feb 2011)
Voted NO on requiring FISA warrants for wiretaps in US, but not abroad. (Mar 2008)
Voted NO on Veto override: Congressional oversight of CIA interrogations. (Mar 2008)
Voted YES on removing need for FISA warrant for wiretapping abroad. (Aug 2007)
Voted NO on restricting no-bid defense contracts. (Mar 2007)
” Another concern must be addressed. When will people start to realize the perils that come from putting functions of government into the hands of private, for-profit companies?” (Gail Riecken)
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Representative Riecken does not appear to have a problem with this:
https://www.healthcare.gov/marketplace/individual?gclid=CO7CorvsrLgCFUJlMgodaSUAmA
What is the difference? Do you think your personal information will be any more secure with these Exchanges?
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What about The NSA snooping on the telecommunications of private citizens? Do you feel better when it’s the Federal government that is snooping on your e-mails, text messages, and phone calls? Does Obama’s snooping on you give you warm and fuzzies?
For the last damn time, stop blaming everything on Obama. The snooping started way before 2009.
Since 90 percent of the news media ignores all of wrong-doing by The One it is up to us to demand that Obummer cease and desist his tyranny against the American people.
During George W. Bush’s eight years in office the Left pummelled him incessantly. Now it is the duty of the American people to demand that the President enforce the Federal Laws of this country. Failing to do so exposes the President to the threat of Impeachment!
For the first time in the history of this country, you can pull up online everyone entering and exiting the Whitehouse monthly.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/disclosures/visitor-records
If Shrub or President Cheney faced no threat of impeachment, there is a 100% chance no other president will be either, at least until after you and your hate are dead and buried.
So get over it.
As far as privatizing anything and everything under the sun, Medicare operates at 3% overhead while private insurance operates at 30%.
Privatizing prisons have led to payoffs to legislatures for passing more laws to fill the beds. (Now overflowing.)
A soldier in Afghanistan making $30,000 dollars a year is working next to a contractor doing the exact same thing he is but the contractor is getting $200,000 dollars a year.
Why would Indiana want a middle man skimming off profits in their lottery and then pick up the tab combating compulsive gambling because of more advertisement and expanded gaming by the private contractor?
The free market private enterprise system has proven itself to be the greatest system in the world. But just like a revenuer in the backwoods of Kentucky in the 1920’s, there are some places you should not venture.
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