The state Division of Workers’ Compensation has uncovered “tens of millions of dollars in unnecessary medical care” in the last several years, but its commissioner failed to sanction the doctors involved, a key former employee told members of the Sunset Advisory Commission on Tuesday night.
Elise Hu
Elise Hu was a political reporter at the Tribune, focusing on multimedia projects, from 2009 to 2011. She previously worked as the state political reporter for Austin's ABC affiliate, KVUE-TV, from 2006 to 2009. She was recognized by the Texas Associated Press Broadcasters three years in a row for her beat reporting on state politics and was named Best TV Reporter Who Can Write by The Austin Chronicle. Before arriving in Austin, she held reporting positions at television stations in Waco; Greenville, S.C.; and Columbia, Mo. She's an evangelist for social media and multimedia journalism — her Political Junkie blog was listed as one of WashingtonPost.com's top Texas political blogs. A native of Plano, she has a degree in broadcast journalism from the University of Missouri.
Posted inState Government
Workers’ Comp Before Sunset
The stakeholders in the roiling controversy over enforcement problems at the Division of Workers’ Comp testify before state lawmakers on the Sunset Advisory Commission Tuesday night.
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State Government
TribBlog: TAB Joins Workers’ Comp Debate
The state’s largest business group is opposing proposed recommendations to change up the review process for unscrupulous workers’ comp doctors, a process at the center of the controversy over how the Division of Workers’ Compensation operates.
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Health care
TribBlog: Workers’ Comp War of Words
As lawmakers on the Sunset Advisory Commission prepare to publicly review the Division of Workers’ Compensation on Tuesday, the Commissioner and his former physician fraud investigator are waging a war of words in their letters to lawmakers.
Posted inState Government
TribLive: Kirk Watson, Full Audio
Full, unedited audio from Evan Smith’s May 19 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin.
Posted inState Government
TribLive: Kirk Watson, Full Video
Full video of Evan Smith’s May 19 TribLive conversation with state Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin.
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Health care
TribBlog: Workers’ Comp Chief Blasts Whistleblowers
As the Division of Workers’ Compensation heads into a public hearing at the Sunset Advisory Commission next week, Commissioner Rod Bordelon is blasting his former employees for their allegations reported by the Texas Tribune.
Posted inState Government
A Luxury Liability
Details of life inside Rick Perry’s temporary digs made headlines this week, revealing that — in addition to $9,900 a month in rent — taxpayers foot the bill for Neiman Marcus curtains, $700 clothes racks and a subscription to Food & Wine magazine. How much of a political problem are the governor’s posh trappings?
Posted inState Government
The Weekly TribCast: Episode 29
In this week’s TribCast, Evan, Ross, Elise and Ben talk about the latest in the 2011 budget crisis, the “nerdiness” of Bill White and Gov. Rick Perry’s subscription to Food & Wine magazine.
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Public Education
HuTube: Inside the SBOE Hearing
The show outside this week’s State Board of Education meeting is almost as interesting as the show inside.
