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Contact: Chris Hilderbrant, Office (585) 546-7510
August 31, 2010

Center for Disability Rights receives clean review from Office of Medicaid Inspector General
Findings letter further calls into question Monroe County motives

Click here for a copy of OMIG’s letter to CDR

Rochester, NY – Today, the Center for Disability Rights (CDR) made public a letter received late last week from the Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG), the Medicaid investigatory arm of the New York State Department of Health (DOH). In its efforts to end its contract with CDR to provide Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program (CDPAP) services, Monroe County has repeatedly cited OMIG’s “interest” in CDR as a cause for Monroe County to end CDR’s contract.

In the letter, dated August 24, 2010, OMIG’s Director of Provider Audit within the Bureau of Fee for Service Audit indicates that the purpose of the letter is to notify CDR that the routine investigation of Medicaid payments had ended and that no wrongdoing was found. The period of time reviewed was a broad swath of 28 months, occurring from 2003 through 2005. The entries audited were exclusively from CDR’s CDPAP, no other Medicaid programs.

“We are very pleased and not at all surprised by these results,” said Bruce Darling, CDR’s President/CEO. “We know that we run a tight ship and this statement from OMIG reinforces that.”

The letter indicates that OMIG “conducts audits and reviews of various providers of Medicaid reimbursable services, equipment and supplies.” And further clarifies that “these audits and reviews are directed at ensuring provider compliance with applicable laws, regulations, rules and policies of the Medicaid program as set forth by the Departments of Health and Mental Hygiene…”

The letter states that the audit revealed “that, for the period reviewed, Center for Disability Rights was in general compliance with the standards of our review.” There were no negative findings and OMIG made no suggestions for changes in accounting practices nor was any repayment ordered.

“Commissioner Reed has repeatedly stated that OMIG has an interest in CDR as though CDR was doing something wrong,” said Mr. Darling. “OMIG’s letter shows that their interest is simply part of their responsibilities and that during this audit, they found no cause for concern. Monroe County has again twisted facts in order to deceive the public about CDR’s record.”