Strayhorn reports on possible Medicaid fraud

Texas Comptroller and independent gubernatorial candidate Carole Keeton Strayhorn released information last week found during her investigation into possible Medicaid prescription drug fraud and abuse about the deaths, poisonings, rapes and pregnancies of children in the state’s foster care system.
“In April 2004 I said I would give our forgotten children in foster care something they need – a voice,” Strayhorn said. “I have been and I will continue to be their voice. This Governor’s Health and Human Services Commission continues to stonewall my investigation and this Governor continues to hide the truth.”
According to Strayhorn, she urged Gov. Rick Perry to create a Family and Protective Services Crisis Management Team in October 2004.
“Now it is June 2006,” Strayhorn said. “Gov. Perry’s failure to act is unconscionable.”
Strayhorn found, from information provided by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, in FY 2003, 30 foster children died in our state’s care; in FY 2004, 38 foster children died; and in FY 2005, 48 foster children died.
Data shows that while the number of foster children in the state’s care increased 24 percent from 26,133 in FY 2003 to 32,474 in FY 2005, the number of deaths increased 60 percent.
“If you compare the number of deaths of children in our state’s population to the number of deaths in our state’s foster care system, a child is four times more likely to die in our state’s foster care system,” Strayhorn said.
Perry’s campaign said Strayhorn was simply exploiting child tragedies for political gain.
“In 2005 the Texas legislature passed, and Gov. Perry signed, SB 6 which provided comprehensive reform to the Child Protective Services (CPS) agency and addressed the concerns outlined by experts and even Carole Strayhorn’s own 2004 report,” Texans for Rick Perry spokesman Robert Black said. “With her support evaporating, her poll numbers dropping and her campaign stagnating, Carole Strayhorn seems desperate to change the subject and is sadly not above exploiting child tragedies to do it. What a despicable thing to do.”