ATexas pediatrician’s controversial social media post mocking flood victims, insinuating that it would be good if Trump supporters were not protected from the disaster, and suggesting that people who voted for Trump deserve to die, raises larger questions about whether federal health officials are using any tools to hold doctors registered to provide services under Medicaid or other government programs accountable.
In fact, a review of the federal database used for Medicaid billing shows that the federal government has repeatedly failed to remove doctors from the system who have been convicted of crimes ranging from fraud to improperly distributing opioids, calling into question the health administration’s willingness to hold medical professionals accountable for the appropriate standards of conduct and care.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), individual Medicaid programs vary according to each state’s statutes within broad Federal guidelines. Medical professionals are responsible for knowing and abiding by state-specific rules where they furnish services and for each of the programs for which they furnish services.
Hellbound and Down 