Bonta announces settlement with another health care company alleged to have defrauded Medi-Cal

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

By RIA ROEBUCK JOSEPH THE CENTER SQUARE CONTRIBUTOR

(The Center Square) - On Jan 6, a constitutional amendment that would give prisoners the right to vote was introduced by self-described community organizer, policy expert and published academic Isaac Bryan, a Democratic state assembly member.

The Assembly Constitutional Amendment (ACA 4) introduced by Assemblymember Bryan, who chairs the Elections Committee and Committee on Poverty & Economic Inclusion, was coauthored by Assembly Members Bonta, Jackson, Kalra, Weber, and Wilson and removes wording in Section 4 of Article II which states, “The Legislature shall prohibit improper practices that affect elections and shall provide for the disqualification of electors while serving a state or federal prison term for the conviction or a felony.”

It also removes all wording in point (b) Section 2 that “disqualified” prisoners from voting.

But this is not the first legislation that seeks to give voting rights to those with a prison history.

In January 2019, ACA 6, the Free the Vote Act proposed by Secretary of State Alex Padilla joined Democratic Assemblymembers Kevin McCarty, Sydney Kamlager-Dove , Rob Bonta, and Ash Kalra, aimed to give parolees the right to register to vote.

Proponents of ACA 4 believe that having done their time in prison, individuals should be allowed the right to vote. One twitter user wrote “People shouldn’t lose the right to vote. They pay their debt to society through time served and restitution.” Another said, “They’re still citizens and we all hope for their successful reentry into civil society. Sends a signal that they are still part of the body politic.”

Those opposing the legislation believe it is unreasonable to have ex-felons voting on proposed laws. “We don’t need people in prison voting to reduce penalties for crimes they committed. This is insanity.” One questioning the motivation of the proposed change stated, “Those criminals obviously made bad decisions & you want them to decide what’s best for our communities? Makes no sense. What is the real reason for this?”

Assemblymember Bryan shared a number of reasons why he believed the amendment was a good one. “Democracy thrives when everybody has a chance to have their voice heard,” he said. “As the Chair of the California State Assembly Elections Committee I didn’t just feel like introducing this

ACA was the right thing to do -- but an absolute responsibility.”

One very important impact of the constitutional change, however, was not raised on social media and that is that current state law allows registered voters to run for elective offices in California. If no change to disqualify those with convictions is made, the result is they will be able to run for public office as well, once they meet the criteria.

A brief look at the legislation proposed last year by the Democrat-controlled assembly, reveals that by and large, the vast majority dealt with tweaking election rules or introducing new ones. They ran the gamut from mail-in ballots, campaign finance, party name selection, election dates, DMV registration, redistricting and a host of other items.

In order for ACA4 to be successful it would need to get two-thirds of the votes in the Assembly and Senate before it comes to the ballot for Californians. Only three other states and localities have made it legal for the incarcerated to vote within prison walls: Maine, Vermont and Washington D.C.

Vice Chair on the election committee Tom Kackey voiced his opposition on Twitter stating, “Criminal acts should have consequences. Voting is a sacred privilege, not an absolute right of citizenship.”

“It’s the right thing to do,” Assemblymember Bryan said in his Feb. 7 tweet.

In a 2019 speech, Assemblymember Bryan described how as a child he would have nightmares and would awake to find his older brother looking over him which helped him transition “from pain to peace. At one such time he asked “Big brother, why do you always stay up with me when I’m having a nightmare?” His brother’s response was “It’s my duty to. It’s my responsibility. It’s wrong for me to sleep peacefully, knowing that you are unable to do the same,” Assemblymember Bryan shared.

Those words have become “a critical lens” Assemblymember Bryan says, by which he “evaluates, critiques and designs public policy.”

KAHLER, Margo Ann AKA “Peggy”

November 25, 1940 - January 29, 2023

Peggy Ann went to be with her Lord and Savior on January 29, 2023 peacefully in her sleep at 12:38 at ‘Comforts of Home Senior Care’. She was born at Abington Hospital in Abington PA. in Montgomery County growing up on Willow Brook Farm, as the only daughter of Margaret H. White and Harry Lewis Kahler PhD. (chemistry) Peggy attended and graduated from Neshaminy High School in 1958 with one of her best friends Diane Hogeland with whom she still talked to every week.

Peggy attended Mary Washington University in Fredericksburg, VA and then transferred to Hope College in Holland Michigan where she graduated on schedule in 1962.

Peggy’s family had decided to move to California in 1967 when her father unexpectedly passed away, however, Peggy and her Mother decided to go ahead with the move and Santa Barbara became their forever home. Peggy never wasted any time and went straight to work. She was a 4th grade bilingual teacher at Carpinteria Main Elementary school for 38 years from September 1967 until June 2005. Her organizational skills were unparalleled in everything she owned. She was loved by all for her kindness and compassion for others.

Several of Peggy’s summers were spent in Spain from where she travelled all over Europe and continued to travel worldwide with family and friends.

After her retirement in 2005 she became the librarian for Santa Barbara Christian School for many years until her eyesight became a problem.

Peggy was very active at Trinity Baptist Church as a Deaconess, Oaks Bible Church as a Deaconess, alto in the choir and as ‘decorator’ for every season and potluck at the churches. She attended all the choir programs put on for the Marines at Camp Pendleton and all the Christmas concerts up until 2021 at Oaks Bible Church. She enjoyed Christian music and especially Christmas music since that was her favorite time of the year. Let the decorating begin!

Peggy loved teaching children and for almost 2 decades she volunteered one week a year to Royal Family Kids camp, which is a camp for ‘children at risk’ ages 6-12 years. Peggy would spend countless hours under the shade of big Oak tree listening to and talking with all the children who wanted to just ‘slow down’ a bit and play games with her. The wisdom imparted under that tree to those children was priceless.

Peggy donated to several charities and missions which demonstrated her loving, generous and kind heart. She loved her cats and Chita was with her to the end. She was also an avid patriot and very proud of our military troops and veterans who fought for “her” country and kept it free. July 4th was always a party for Peggy! More decorating!

Peggy’s passion for teaching children was dwarfed only by her love for Jesus and sharing Him with all she came in contact with.

She is survived by her childhood friends Sue DeCresente and Diane Hogeland, several school colleagues and friends, members of the Barbour family, first cousins once removed Elizabeth G. Frazee, (Timothy T. Myers) & daughter Avery F. Myers, Jonathon

W. Frazee & children Justin R., Cori T., and Caitlin S. Frazee and Stanley S. Frazee & children Lane and Julia Frazee along with her entire Oaks Bible family.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, February 18, 11:00 am at Oaks Bible

Church, located at 400 Puente Dr., Santa Barbara, CA. Reception to follow.

In lieu of flowers please make donations to Royal Kids Camp at royalfamilykidssb.com or Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP) cat rescue at asapcats.org

Arrangements entrusted to Welch-Ryce-Haider Funeral Chapels.

(The Center Square) - As though in a repeat performance, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday a settlement between the California Department of Justice and Centene Corporation, the largest managed care corporation for Medicaid.

A statement released by the DOJ said “California Department of Justice (DOJ) investigators found that between January 2017 and December 2018, California Health & Wellness and Health Net reported inflated figures for the costs they incurred in providing prescription drugs to patients. Centene leveraged advantages in its pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) contracts to save its managed care plans $2.70 per prescription drug claim over the two-year period. DOJ alleges that Centene and its PBM failed to disclose or pass on these discounted fees to Medi-Cal, which inflated fees and drug costs reported to California.”

The settlement agreement noted that the Centene Corporation “expressly deny liability, any wrongdoing and any violation of any federal or state statute…the Centene Corporation Recognizes the importance of providing high quality and cost-effective pharmacy benefit services …and the state’s need for transparency around the costs of associated services.” It further clarified stating,”While the state does not dispute that the Centene Entities have provided pharmacy benefit services…and may be qualified to provide such services…the state requires full transparency ..around the cost and fees associated with those services.”

The agreement avoids uncertainties of litigation and is not “evidence of any liability or wrongdoing by one or more Centene Entities.”

“Today’s settlement is a win — it brings resources directly back to our state. At the California Department of Justice, we will continue using every tool we have to fight for California’s vulnerable communities,” Mr. Bonta said.

The settlement reflects full restitution to California’s Medi-Cal Program in the amount of $215,392,758.

“The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability,” a statement in the DOJ release said.