AHCCCSWatch is a publication to inform the public what is happening within AHCCCS management and the wasted tax dollars; one example is paying providers for more than six years for hundreds of recipients who are dead, and not being reimbursed for it as it "would bankrupt the providers," contrary to what Lopez says. Farnsworth should dig deeper.
Farrell Janssen
Black Canyon City
Editor's note: Farnsworth did not report that Janssen said that AHCCCSWatch was a one-man show. He did report that Janssen's explanations of his involvement in AHCCCSWatch lent credence to those who believe that to be the case. If there is "quite a membership," it is not very active. What follows is taken from a transcript of Farnsworth's interview with Janssen.
Farnsworth: "Well, how much does Greg [Kahlstorf] tell you about AHCCCSWatch and the workings of it?"
Janssen: "Oh, we don't get involved in that. In fact, I rarely talk to Greg anymore. . . . What he does every day, is that it?"
Farnsworth: "Yeah, does he consult you about press releases or what he does with AHCCCS?"
Janssen: "Well, he used to. You know, he used to."
Chris Farnsworth's article "The Shrill Whistle-blower" accurately describes my conflict with the Department of Transportation. Farnsworth's well-balanced presentation of AHCCCSWatch and the law firm that represents AHCCCS has opened my eyes: It is time to begin ADOTWatch.
The State of Arizona has implemented a discriminatory and retaliatory hiring practice called RESUMIX. This Big Brother computer selects all Arizona state government employees. RESUMIX's computer-generated list does not provide names of the best-qualified candidates. ADOT employees (supervisors and line personnel) are fighting mad that RESUMIX is still being actively supported by ADOT's personnel director. The cacophony raised by ADOT employees has forced the personnel office to defend the RESUMIX system repeatedly since it was plugged in. ADOT is in an uproar that RESUMIX is leaving the "best and brightest" off the hiring lists.
The second commentary is on the Performance Incentive Based Pay program. This program reduces the number of state government employees by offering up to $50 per employee per paycheck if we can eliminate one of our fellow employees. The Legislature then cuts the funding for the vacant position the following year. We then must work harder to eliminate another fellow employee so we can get the $50 each per paycheck the next year. This voluntary reduction in force, this Judas Iscariot syndrome, when combined with the RESUMIX system, is eroding the professionalism, morale and camaraderie in ADOT's work force. Having made these commentaries, I now thrust myself into the ranks of ADOTWatch and AHCCCSWatch.
Jay Montoya
Phoenix
