To the editor:

After reading your story under the headline: “Doctors fight back on audit that alleged Medicaid fraud,” I am concerned about the quality of the paper’s coverage and of the Kansas Medical Society’s response to the audit.

First, the Journal-World headline appears to be inflammatory and inaccurate. Did the headline writer somehow overlook the paragraph in which the Division of Post Audit spokesperson stated clearly that the purpose of the audit was not to make allege fraud but to identify areas where there are potential problems. I thought that was exactly what the division was created to do.

Second, although I believe Medicaid providers are seriously undercompensated, I believe that the Kansas Medical Society’s response to the “red flags” was misguided. The KMS spokesperson was dismissive because the auditors were nonphysicians who relied on statistical auditing techniques rather than examining individual medical records. No one will be surprised to learn that the state’s budget does not allow it to hire many physician auditors. Nor will anyone be surprised that these nonphysicians did not “drill down” into individual medical records.

What is surprising is that the KMS responded by attacking the messenger rather than acknowledging a possible concern and offering some of its own resources and expertise to “drill down” into a potential problem.

There is a very good chance the red flags will turn out to be red herrings. But at this rate the citizens who are paying the bills will never know.

Pete Rowland,
Lawrence