Archive for October, 2011

Feds OK Medicaid managed care contracts

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The federal government has given approval for the state to enter into contracts with three managed-care companies to oversee Medicaid for more than 560,000 Kentuckians. The move to managed care is scheduled to begin on Tuesday.

On Monday, Gov. Steve Beshear announced that the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services gave its approval to the state to enter into the contracts with the three companies. By moving to managed care, the state is hoping to cut costs in the federal and state health care program that serves the old, aged and disabled. The state also renewed a contract with Passport Health Plan, which has provided Medicaid managed-care services in Jefferson and 15 surrounding counties since 1997.

The state had to receive federal approval because the majority of the cost of the Medicaid program –typically 70 percent — is paid for by the federal government. The state picks up the remaining costs of the program. Cabinet for Health and Family Services officials have said that Medicaid recipients should receive new insurance cards by Tuesday.

15 day pre-election reports due Monday

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — Monday is the final deadline for the 15-day pre-election campaign finance reports for the candidates running for the state’s constitutional offices.

The 15-day pre-election report covers Oct. 8 – Oct. 21. The Nov. 8 election is eight days away.

Some highlights of some of the reports so far:

Williams, Beshear launch new TV ads

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The two main rivals in Kentucky’s gubernatorial race have new television advertisements out this week.

Democratic incumbent Gov. Steve Beshear’s new ad uses news clips showing Beshear touring the state after major disasters, such as an ice storm that knocked out power to much of the state in 2009. The advertisement also uses a moderator who says Beshear has been a calm presence during the state’s natural disasters over the past three years.

Beshear has said that 10 federally-declared states of emergency have been declared since he took office in December 2007.

Senate President David Williams features his running mate, Richie Farmer, the agriculture commissioner and former University of Kentucky basketball star, in his ad. The 30-second spot tries to tie Beshear to President Obama, who is unpopular in Kentucky. Farmer claims that Beshear cannot support Obama and be pro-coal.

“A vote for Beshear is a vote for Barack Obama’s war on coal,” Farmer says in the ad.

Beshear has said in interviews that he supports Obama but does not agree with him on all issues. His administration has sued the Environmental Protection Agency over coal regulations.

After leading Louisville, Jerry Abramson wants job in Ky. Capitol

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

LOUISVILLE — They took the trash can. Again.

Louisville city workers were supposed to dump the trash from the wicker-wire trash can near the Abramson’s grocery store on Preston Avenue and put it back. But frequently the can would disappear.

One day, a 12-year-old Jerry Abramson turned to his exasperated father, Roy, and said: “Don’t worry Dad, someday I’ll be mayor and I will have that can bolted down.”

Roy Abramson, now deceased, loved to tell that story about his son, Louisville’s longest-serving mayor. But Jerry Abramson, 65, who spent much of his childhood working at his father’s three-aisle grocery store in Smoketown, said he doesn’t’ remember that conversation or having aspirations for public office at that age.

Yet, 50 years later, Jerry Abramson has become almost synonymous with the city of his birth.

Abramson’s long tenure as Louisville’s mayor, three terms as mayor of the city and two terms as mayor of the merged city government, is on trial as he seeks his first statewide elected office. Rather than run again for mayor he decided in 2009 to join Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s campaign as his pick for lieutenant governor.

Claim that Abramson’s friend didn’t show up for work much at city job true

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

The Herald-Leader will fact-check statements made by candidates and their surrogates leading up to the Nov. 8 election.

The statement: “Turns out Abramson used tax dollars to pay his friend 85 grand for a job she hardly showed up for.”

— David Williams’ campaign for governor in an online video ad.

The ruling: True

The facts: A video posted on YouTube this week by Republican David Williams’ campaign for governor focuses on Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear’s running mate, former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson.

Candidates for governor on ‘KY Tonight’ for 90 minutes

The three candidates for governor — Democrat Steve Beshear, Republican David Williams and independent Gatewood Galbraith– are scheduled to appear in their second and final debate Monday night on Kentucky Educational Television’s “Kentucky Tonight.”

The show will begin at 8 p.m. ET on KET and at www.ket.org/live and run for 90 minutes. Bill Goodman will host.

Kentucky viewers with questions may send email, including name and town or county, to kytonight@ket.org or use the message form at www.ket.org/kytonight.

The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 1-800-494-7605.

Viewers may also submit questions on Twitter to @BillKET or #kytonight, or on Kentucky Educational Television’s Facebook page.

Democrats allege collusion between Williams and outside political group funded by father-in-law

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — The Kentucky Democratic Party filed a complaint Friday with the state alleging that Republican gubernatorial nominee David Williams has illegally coordinated and cooperated with his father-in-law, Terry Stephens, and an outside political group that Stephens is funding.

Stephens has acknowledged being the sole contributor to Restoring America, which has spent $1.365 million on television ads that criticize Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear and compliment Williams.

“He now claims … it is mere coincidence that the group is spending every dime supporting his son-in-law and attacking his opponent,” Democratic Party Chairman Dan Logsdon said in a news release announcing the complaint with the Kentucky Registry of Election Finance.

Overhaul of Kentucky Medicaid program takes effect Nov. 1

By Beth Musgrave
bmusgrave@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT — An overhaul of the state’s Medicaid program is set to go live on Nov. 1, state officials said this week.

Earlier this year, the state entered into contracts with three managed care companies and continued a contract with Passport Health Plan to serve more than 560,000 people on the state-federal health plan for the poor, aged and disabled. The move, expected to save $375 million over the next three years, was initiated to keep costs down in the more than $6 billion program.

So far, 68 acute-care hospitals, including a handful of out-of-state hospitals, have signed on with at least one of the three managed-care companies, said Jill Midkiff, a spokeswoman for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. That number does not include hospitals that have signed on within the last week, she said.

Excluding the Louisville area, which is served by Passport, there are 96 acute-care hospitals in Kentucky.

In Lexington, hospitals that have signed a contract with a managed-care company include Central Baptist Hospital and UK Healthcare, Midkiff said. St. Joseph Health System has not yet agreed to work with a managed-care company, she said.

Supreme Court permanently disbars judge in fen-phen case

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – The Kentucky Supreme Court has permanently disbarred a former Boone County judge who oversaw a settlement involving the diet drug fen-phen.

The state’s highest court on Thursday also ordered Joseph “Jay” Bamberger to pay $18,700 for the costs of disciplinary proceedings against him.

The Supreme Court followed a unanimous recommendation in June from the Kentucky Bar Association that Bamberger be permanently disbarred for his actions as presiding judge in the highly publicized fen-phen case.

It involved a class action lawsuit filed in 1998 in Boone Circuit Court against American Home Products, manufacturer of fen-phen.

Injured state lawmaker resigns legislative seat

By Jack Brammer
jbrammer@herald-leader.com

FRANKFORT – State Rep. Dewayne Bunch, a Williamsburg Republican who was critically injured in April while breaking up a fight at Whitley County High School, has resigned from the state legislature.

The announcement of Bunch’s resignation came in a news release Wednesday afternoon from House Republican leadership.

“His family has decided that it is best for not only him, but his constituents as well if he resigns his seat in the Kentucky General Assembly,” Republican leaders said in the statement. “While we will miss serving with Dewayne, we understand this decision and what is best for his recovery.”

Gov. Steve Beshear will have to decide when to call a special election to fill out the remainder of Bunch’s term from the 82^nd District that includes Whitley County and part of Laurel County.