Crack down on fraud
go after Medicare, welfare and L&I fraud offenders with a vengeance. Then these programs might actually help those that they were designed to help.
Protect Health and Vulnerable People : Browse Popular Ideas
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I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »20 comments for Idea: Crack down on fraud -
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373 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Drug Test for State Payments.
We all know that Welfare is necessary to keep those afloat that cannot do so on their own. It also seems to be a known fact that many that receive Welfare tend to spend some of the money they receive on illegal drug use. By requiring a drug test to receive a Welfare check, not only do you avoid paying "free" money to "criminals" but, in turn, it is likely that the amount of drug use will decrease by the effect of the ...more »
96 comments for Idea: Drug Test for State Payments.We all know that Welfare is necessary to keep those afloat that cannot do so on their own. It also seems to be a known fact that many that receive Welfare tend to spend some of the money they receive on illegal drug use. By requiring a drug test to receive a Welfare check, not only do you avoid paying "free" money to "criminals" but, in turn, it is likely that the amount of drug use will decrease by the effect of the recipients not wanting to lose their benefits.
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223 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »EBT/Food Stamps-For Healthy Purchases Only
I suggest you research what is being bought with EBT (food stamps) cards. I also suggest you change the purchase guidelines to be more in-line with WIC purchase guidelines so that participants in the system may only purchase healthy-food options. For those participants that purchase a lot of soda, candy, and junk food, they should be given less on their EBT account. If we are going to tax these items because they are ...more »
14 comments for Idea: EBT/Food Stamps-For Healthy Purchases OnlyI suggest you research what is being bought with EBT (food stamps) cards. I also suggest you change the purchase guidelines to be more in-line with WIC purchase guidelines so that participants in the system may only purchase healthy-food options. For those participants that purchase a lot of soda, candy, and junk food, they should be given less on their EBT account. If we are going to tax these items because they are not "food," we should not be allowing people to purchase them with "food stamps." I also believe that in the research, if you find participants purchasing only healthy items or items that are obviously for their children, they should not be taken off of the EBT/food stamp program.
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118 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Eliminate $5 million annual subsidy of TransAlta coal plant
1 comment for Idea: Eliminate $5 million annual subsidy of TransAlta coal plantI suggest you...Eliminate the $5 million annual subsidy of the TransAlta coal plant. It is highly polluting and its subsidy is in violation of state energy policy, which favors clean energy sources.
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93 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Canadian Prescriptions available to all
Prescriptions drugs are more expensive here than in Canada. Why is this? We are bordering Canada after all. I believe the state should allow shipments of Canadian prescription drugs to be shipped to Washingtonians. To help the state budget shortfall we could put an extra tax on Canadian drugs so that they are more in line with U.S. prices (but please, not as high as that would defeat the purpose). You would be helping ...more »
4 comments for Idea: Canadian Prescriptions available to allPrescriptions drugs are more expensive here than in Canada. Why is this? We are bordering Canada after all.
I believe the state should allow shipments of Canadian prescription drugs to be shipped to Washingtonians. To help the state budget shortfall we could put an extra tax on Canadian drugs so that they are more in line with U.S. prices (but please, not as high as that would defeat the purpose).
You would be helping the state and it's citizens in this case. An alternative to this is perhaps allowing stores in Washington to carry those Canadian prescriptions with said tax.
It's an idea. I'm not sure how crazy I would be about it as I'm not confident the state would pull it off without jacking up prices too much.
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The FDA regulates prescription drugs made in the U.S. Under federal law so it is illegal for anyone except the drug manufacturer to import prescription drugs into the U.S.
So I would propose that Washington state inquire about changing federal law before proceeding with this idea. Draft up a bill to send to the senate/house
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84 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Increase Service - Increase revenue
86 comments for Idea: Increase Service - Increase revenueAdd to state revenue by turning the state's 5 Residential Habilitation Centers into facilities offering services to non residents for such as dental, therapeutic swimming, meeting spaces, professional and paraprofessional training centers, bowling alleys, adult day care and specialized medical diagnoses and treatment for fees and fee transfers from Medicaid and Medicare vouchers.
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78 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »No Coal Tax Breaks
Add your comment for Idea: No Coal Tax BreaksEliminate the tax breaks for the Trans-Alta Coal Plant and help Washington become a coal free state.
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70 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Suicide Prevention Barrier on Aurora Bridge
Revisit the idea of spending a ton of $$ on building a suicide prevention barrier on the Aurora Bridge. While suicide is tragic, and very disturbing to those who may witness such an act, spending this kind of $ on a relatively rare event rather than utilizing this $ for direct human services to prevent suicide is foolish. The bottom line is that while such a barrier prevents "impulse suicides" it does nothing to deter ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Suicide Prevention Barrier on Aurora BridgeRevisit the idea of spending a ton of $$ on building a suicide prevention barrier on the Aurora Bridge. While suicide is tragic, and very disturbing to those who may witness such an act, spending this kind of $ on a relatively rare event rather than utilizing this $ for direct human services to prevent suicide is foolish. The bottom line is that while such a barrier prevents "impulse suicides" it does nothing to deter premeditated suicide. Individuals who plan and intend to follow through on suicide will find another way to do so. Mental Health services are in dire need of funding, and funding for human services has been cut and is in danger of more cuts. This $ would be much better utilized being diverted to human services. (and think of all the $ saved on not providing construction grade earplugs to nearby residents, as well as $ saved due to traffic issues that will no doubt occur if this barrier is constructed).
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69 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Reform Child Support Enforcement
I suggest a reform for the Department of Child Support. For every check I get from them, I get a (seperately mailed) statement telling me that they sent me a check and how much it was for. Additionally, it would be nice if the office of Support Enforcement enforced the entire order--they do not enforce requirements that are in support orders to pay for medical costs, or medical insurance or day care. Or at least they ...more »
2 comments for Idea: Reform Child Support EnforcementI suggest a reform for the Department of Child Support. For every check I get from them, I get a (seperately mailed) statement telling me that they sent me a check and how much it was for.
Additionally, it would be nice if the office of Support Enforcement enforced the entire order--they do not enforce requirements that are in support orders to pay for medical costs, or medical insurance or day care. Or at least they tell me that they are not allowed to. In my case, this lead to my daughter being on state subsidized health insurance for 6 years, and the state paying for a large chunk of her daycare up until she turned 10 and I found a job that paid enough to keep a roof over our heads and pay for daycare. thousands that the state shouldn't have had to pay.
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69 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Eliminate DSHS new-baby mailers
1 comment for Idea: Eliminate DSHS new-baby mailersDSHS sends out periodic mailers to you if you just had a baby, containing information found online or in books. If you have a second baby, you start getting the same mailers you had the first time. Eliminate these mailers.
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58 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Recycle State supplied Prescription Drugs
31 states currently recycle prescription drugs and save a ton of money. Any prescription drugs the state is supplying (old folks homes, welfare, inmates), are currently thrown away if the person moves, dies, is told to stop taking the prescription. 31 states now recycle any unused & unopened prescription drugs. Many list the drugs on a web site which pharmacys can order from and recieve the recycled drugs within 24 ...more »
3 comments for Idea: Recycle State supplied Prescription Drugs31 states currently recycle prescription drugs and save a ton of money. Any prescription drugs the state is supplying (old folks homes, welfare, inmates), are currently thrown away if the person moves, dies, is told to stop taking the prescription. 31 states now recycle any unused & unopened prescription drugs. Many list the drugs on a web site which pharmacys can order from and recieve the recycled drugs within 24 hours and supply folks on Low income or Welfare. Imagine the savings. Roy
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55 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Family Planning Funding Saves Money
It is both socially and fiscally responsible for the state to continue to fund family planning care for low-income women. For many women, the state’s family planning clinics are the only health care they receive. This budget item also makes good financial sense: for every dollar the state invests in family planning, taxpayers save $4 in unintended pregnancy care costs (Source: Guttmacher Institute). Fully fund family ...more »
33 comments for Idea: Family Planning Funding Saves MoneyIt is both socially and fiscally responsible for the state to continue to fund family planning care for low-income women. For many women, the state’s family planning clinics are the only health care they receive. This budget item also makes good financial sense: for every dollar the state invests in family planning, taxpayers save $4 in unintended pregnancy care costs (Source: Guttmacher Institute). Fully fund family planning care.
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45 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Change Children's Administration
Have the Children's Administration go paperless! As a foster parent I get a tree's worth of paper each month through notices and invoices. Why can't these be put on a secure website? I would love to check and submit my invoices that way. I can print a copy if i wish or just save it to the computer I'm on. Also, demand that each CA office use email as a means of communication. There are several CA offices that refuse ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Change Children's AdministrationHave the Children's Administration go paperless! As a foster parent I get a tree's worth of paper each month through notices and invoices. Why can't these be put on a secure website? I would love to check and submit my invoices that way. I can print a copy if i wish or just save it to the computer I'm on.
Also, demand that each CA office use email as a means of communication. There are several CA offices that refuse to use email! It saves time as SW can cut and paste in to the files.
Bring back the Support STAFF!!! It is ridiculous that SW are being used as front end secretaries and not able to complete their SW duties. Therefore, you are paying a SW wage for a secretary!! This doesn't make sense! They have a different skill set, are not able to get their jobs done, use overtime and the children are the ones that pay the price.
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44 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Audit and Fix DSHS
Add your comment for Idea: Audit and Fix DSHSAudit DSHS for both use of money and following of proper procedures/policies. How they work is not only wasting money but repeatedly endangering vulnerable people like children, the elderly and the disabled who depend on DSHS agencies and staff.
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41 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Medical costs
6 comments for Idea: Medical costsInstall a required $10 co-pay for all non-insured ER visits. Much like a parking fee, this could help offset spiraling medical costs, with minimal impact to the poor.
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34 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Eliminate the Ad Match program in schools
Eliminate the Ad Match program in schools. This program pays schools when teaching staff refer students for medical services and inform parents how to access services. Teachers should be making appropriate referrals without the schools getting extra pay. The record keeping required for this program is confusing, always changing, arbitrary and takes time away from other tasks that are required of teachers. A few administrators ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Eliminate the Ad Match program in schoolsEliminate the Ad Match program in schools. This program pays schools when teaching staff refer students for medical services and inform parents how to access services. Teachers should be making appropriate referrals without the schools getting extra pay. The record keeping required for this program is confusing, always changing, arbitrary and takes time away from other tasks that are required of teachers. A few administrators get to decide how the money is spent. It can't be spent on extra teaching staff and often doesn't benefit at risk children. In the meantime, Medicaid reimbursement for medical services is poor and state excise tax for those services has increased from 1.5% to 1.8%. More doctors are refusing to see Medicaid patients and access is limited. If the state wants to make sure that low income children are receiving the medical services they need, spend the money on improving access. Don't spend it on paying schools to tally their referrals.
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33 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Eliminate Forced Doctor Visits for Getting Blood Tests
Health Care: allow people to get blood tests without forcing them to see a physician to request a blood test. There are standard listings of blood tests and standardized ranges for blood test results. Anything outside of the normal range is automatically red flagged by the computer. I have to make TWO visits to the doctor to get blood test results PLUS another visit to the test lab. I want to be able to go directly to ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Eliminate Forced Doctor Visits for Getting Blood TestsHealth Care: allow people to get blood tests without forcing them to see a physician to request a blood test. There are standard listings of blood tests and standardized ranges for blood test results. Anything outside of the normal range is automatically red flagged by the computer. I have to make TWO visits to the doctor to get blood test results PLUS another visit to the test lab. I want to be able to go directly to the blood lab ANY TIME I WANT WITHOUT being forced to go to the doctor twice! All the physician does is hand you what the computer spit out! If this eliminates 25-30% of useless pointless doctor appointments would this not bring costs down across the board? Once I get my results, I can then decide whether I want to follow up with these doctors who do largely NOTHING but send out outrageous bills!
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30 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Needs of the elderly
2 comments for Idea: Needs of the elderlyAs a social worker I see first hand the severe burn out of the family providing caregiving for an elderly person. I believe it is more cost effective to have money spent to provide more assistance as a person's health is declining to keep them at home as long as possible, rather than put into an expensive facility at state expense.
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27 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Reform mental health services in Pierce County
Not renew the contract with OptumHealth, the for-profit out of state corporation that currently manages mental health services in Pierce County. They have contracted with other out-of-state, for-profit corporations that has resulted in substandard, expensive services for clients at the expense of 100's of local jobs. This change has resulted in the overuse of local emergency rooms,hospital beds and jails, both of which ...more »
2 comments for Idea: Reform mental health services in Pierce CountyNot renew the contract with OptumHealth, the for-profit out of state corporation that currently manages mental health services in Pierce County. They have contracted with other out-of-state, for-profit corporations that has resulted in substandard, expensive services for clients at the expense of 100's of local jobs. This change has resulted in the overuse of local emergency rooms,hospital beds and jails, both of which are far more expensive than community mental health services as well as over-taxing the already short-staff, overworked police departments. Return the management of LOCAL community mental health services to LOCAL, NON-PROFIT agencies.
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24 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Roll Blind VR Services into General VR Services
Eliminate the Department of Services for the Blind and roll their services into the DSHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation. Washington is one of only 12 states who still have a separate vocational rehabilitation for blind citizens. What the 38 other states have found is that it is wasteful to duplicate the management and service positions and facilities and their maintenance in a separate agency serving only one ...more »
2 comments for Idea: Roll Blind VR Services into General VR ServicesEliminate the Department of Services for the Blind and roll their services into the DSHS Division of Vocational Rehabilitation.
Washington is one of only 12 states who still have a separate vocational rehabilitation for blind citizens. What the 38 other states have found is that it is wasteful to duplicate the management and service positions and facilities and their maintenance in a separate agency serving only one disability.
Serving blind citizens looking for work in the same agency that serves all the other citizens with disabilities looking for work makes fiscal sense because it would save the state all the salaries, building rentals, maintenance costs and other fees associated with having a separate agency that only serves one class of disabled individuals.
Serving blind citizens looking for work in the same agency that serves all the other citizens with disabilities looking for work makes sense in terms of current theory on disability inclusion in that treating blind citizens differently than other citizens with disabilities only furthers the stigma of disability in general and blindness specifically.
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24 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Cash assistance
Public assistance needs to be over haul. Pay for one mistake and the parents pay for all other children. Put all on Public assistance to work in volnteer jobs to learn a skill so they can earn cash assistance rather than handing it out. Cash assistance is not a right but a help until you get a job to support your family. Taxpayers a very tried of supporting adults who continue to have children and do nothing to earn assistance. ...more »
5 comments for Idea: Cash assistancePublic assistance needs to be over haul. Pay for one mistake and the parents pay for all other children. Put all on Public assistance to work in volnteer jobs to learn a skill so they can earn cash assistance rather than handing it out. Cash assistance is not a right but a help until you get a job to support your family. Taxpayers a very tried of supporting adults who continue to have children and do nothing to earn assistance. The parent is the first teacher what message does this send the children? Employers cannot find dependable workers. The Five year WorkFirst Plan has not happen in the State of WA. Any job to help support your family is better than none. Education to upgrade skills for a better job. Family budgeting skills, life skills, what has happen to our children?
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23 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »4 hour service cut for all elderly, disabled (COPES)
Don't cut funding for COPES program, which provides basic living services to elderly and disabled people, so they can stay home and out of in-patient care facilities. Everyone on the program lost 4 hours, regardless of need. The same occurred last year. Balancing the budget by cutting services to this population is inhumane. Each time, the cuts were applied very late in the session, keeping public response opportunity ...more »
2 comments for Idea: 4 hour service cut for all elderly, disabled (COPES)Don't cut funding for COPES program, which provides basic living services to elderly and disabled people, so they can stay home and out of in-patient care facilities. Everyone on the program lost 4 hours, regardless of need. The same occurred last year. Balancing the budget by cutting services to this population is inhumane. Each time, the cuts were applied very late in the session, keeping public response opportunity to a minimum. Sneaky and unfair.
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22 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »No subsidies for biomass burners
1 comment for Idea: No subsidies for biomass burnersNo subsidies; no subsidies for anybody. Particularly, no subsidies for biomass burners/incinerators which will throw tons and tons of carbon and poison into our air. No subsidies to anybody for anything until we are on firm fiscal footing.
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20 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Cut Government Waste
Cut back on the government overhead that is redundant. Workers can take on more if needed, I know I have had to as a result of lay offs where I work. Stop taking from Health and Human Services. People need help and less of the non productive employees at the state levels. DSHS is still a mess and always has been. Stop taking from the tax payers every time you turn around. Do you know people are leaving this state as a ...more »
1 comment for Idea: Cut Government WasteCut back on the government overhead that is redundant. Workers can take on more if needed, I know I have had to as a result of lay offs where I work. Stop taking from Health and Human Services. People need help and less of the non productive employees at the state levels. DSHS is still a mess and always has been. Stop taking from the tax payers every time you turn around. Do you know people are leaving this state as a direct result? Can't tax those who don't live here!
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20 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Protect Health and Vulnerable People »Tax Health Insurance Companies
Tax health insurance companies that stockpile cash while raising insurance rates. Use this tax to help pay for DSHS. From USA Today July 22, 2010 by Alison Young: Non-profit Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans stockpiled billions of dollars during the past decade, yet continued to hit consumers with double-digit premium increases, Consumers Union found in an analysis of 10 of the plans' finances. Insurers must keep ...more »
Add your comment for Idea: Tax Health Insurance CompaniesTax health insurance companies that stockpile cash while raising insurance rates. Use this tax to help pay for DSHS.
From USA Today July 22, 2010 by Alison Young:
Non-profit Blue Cross and Blue Shield health plans stockpiled billions of dollars during the past decade, yet continued to hit consumers with double-digit premium increases, Consumers Union found in an analysis of 10 of the plans' finances.
Insurers must keep surplus money to ensure they can pay policyholders' medical bills if unexpected market conditions develop. Yet seven of the plans examined held more than three times the amount regulators consider the minimum needed to do that, according to a report being released today by the non-profit consumer group.
"Consumers are struggling to afford health coverage," said report author Sondra Roberto. "Those funds could be used in some cases to mitigate these rate increases."
The report calls on state insurance regulators to scrutinize surpluses when considering rate increases and set maximum limits for surpluses. In most states, it said, regulators focus only on ensuring companies have minimum surpluses to be financially sound.
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