Comments on: Alabama Medicaid Agency Open Records Act (FOIA) Violations

By: antivirus antispyware 2011

antivirus antispyware 2011 — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 19:17:06 +0000

Just came and read, this is wow! I was seek from many blogs, but here is the best, I love it.

By: Sherryhipp

Sherryhipp — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 02:23:25 +0000

Chase,
I did not read the entire blog so this info maybe included.
I think the date was around May 09. The Alabama Medicaid office did post all SNF's cost reports on the states web site. Shirley Jackson with the Alabama Dept of Finance was my contact shirley.jackson@purchasing.gov, she helped me locate the cost reports on the states web site, I downloaded the two reports I needed at the time figaured I would return later to utilize the other cost reports. When I returned a few days later the cost reports had been removed. When I called Shirley she said I would need to talk to her superior she could not help me.
Your partner,
Sherry

By: Medicaid Doctors

Medicaid Doctors — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 22:46:51 +0000

I'll back again for sure, thanks for great article

By: interesting post

interesting post — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 04:51:32 +0000

This was an interesting story, but obviously you did not try to retrieive information for medicaid offices of U.S. territories. This post would have been 10x shorter because no one would return your call.

By: Joe

Joe — Sat, 24 Apr 2010 03:54:28 +0000

Chase, hi!

I work in Computer Assisted Reporting at the non-profit news organization ProPublica. I just wanted to get in contact with you. I'm currently working on a project somewhat similar to yours; I'm FOIAing the Consumer Complaint database kept by all 50 states. I'm about halfway through, moving alphabetically, and I'm just beginning to have similar troubles in Alabama, the first request I filed. Pretty much, I get no response whatsoever from them. I'm only now reaching the point where I begin to work in earnest on them, i.e. I spoke with their AGs office yesterday and was encouraged to make the request again. So it begins...

Anyway, the organization I work for is very interested in transparency and related issues. Please keep me posted as to the outcome of your request. I make quite a few of these requests and Alabama's response is ridiculous, to say the least.

Also, I wanted to point out the NICAR-L Listserv, The list primarily consists of news folks and programmers who work for news organizations doing journalism related development work and data analysis. These folks are very knowledgeable and experienced in this area. I would encourage you to copy your FOI Listserv post to the NICAR-L list. It's a lively bunch, to say the least, and you will no doubt find advice as well as commiseration.

Thanks for the post and please keep me updated. I'm interested to know the outcome of your request.

Take care and good luck!

Joe

By: Jason

Jason — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 10:06:51 +0000

This is nuts. Perfect example of wasteful, irresponsible government. They've spent more time coming up with reasons to deny your request than it would have taken to fulfil it, and instead offered a “solution” that a) doesn't satisfy your (perfectly legal) request, and b) would take much more of their time and money. If they're in such a “budget crisis” maybe they should re-examine such wasteful decisions and the people who make them…

By: Concerned Citizen

Concerned Citizen — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 01:28:57 +0000

It is ridiculous that Alabama Medicaid does not have IT professionals on staff that can understand and prepare a simple file for you. I suspect they do, however it looks like the commissioner made the decision not to honor your request and none of her staff will dare to question her reasoning because of fear of disciplinary actions by Mrs. Steckel. This is typical of the many unreasonable actions Mrs. Steckel has taken during her most recent term as commissioner. Within the last 6 months she has replaced almost all of her senior staff without valid reasons or explanations. Some she replaced with other agency employees with far less experience, such as Stephanie Azar, and one Deputy Commissioner has been replaced with a much higher paid contract employee. She keeps that whole agency in a constant state of turmoil. I imagine that the Governor knows how bad she is for state government, but he's to busy fighting against legalizing Bingo to fire her and appoint someone more reasonable and capable to the position. I suggest you send all of this to Governor Riley's office and “maybe” that will get you the files you lawfully have a right to obtain. Also, send this to the Birmingham Newspaper. That will probably get some response, as they are known for telling it like it is when it comes to bad government. Mrs. Steckel is out of control and she needs to be fired. She makes Alabama look awful and she is ruining an agency that the less advantages citizens of Alabama depend on. I think a copy of your post to the Birmingham News could help Alabama push this woman out of Alabama politics.

By: Chase Gray

Chase Gray — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:19:41 +0000

Hi Matthew! Thanks for letting me know! I unlocked it and the full post will be done in later today. Sorry for that!

Chase

By: Matthew Platte

Matthew Platte — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:06:33 +0000

You should probably filter these password protected posts out of the RSS feed so's they don't end up on Ruby Corner.