This is quite novel legislation.
First, the individuals affected by Child Protective Services are only eligible for intervention if they meet the criteria of the poverty means test. Then, what this translates to is that the impoverished cannot afford legal representation.
Does it means one can go to Legal Aid? No. Legal Aid is a state funded operation, normally out of state public universities. Wayne State University is situated in one of the most perverse counties when it comes to fraud in child welfare, so, the likelihood of making it to the court for a judicial dertermination of immunity is nothing but a pipe dream.
Since this bill is now in Committee, let's look at it this way:
Empower the Attorney General to start using the Medicaid Fraud Unit in his Department to aggressively go after Medicaid fraud in child welfare. Targeted Case Management funds the activities identified in this bill. Individuals affected by fraudulent actions could report and go through the Medicaid Fraud Unit to be eligible for renumeration under the Medicaid False Claims Act.
This is what is called accountability and transparency. Empower the people to regulate. In the end, the state recoups a percentage of the federal funds upon recovery and reduces its state funding percentage in Medicaid.
Everyone wins except those who continue to commit fraud in child welfare in Michigan.
Beverly Tran
The people have the right to peaceably assemble, to consult for the common good, to instruct their representatives and to petition the government for redress of greivance.
Declaration of Rights, Article I, Section 3, Constitution of Michigan 1963