Privatization Kills

Before we let Governor Chirstie privatize anything, we should think long and hard about what can go wrong.

Most of the time, the worst things that can result are overpaying the private company and fraud from paying for services not provided.  Or perhaps getting lousy service from poorly trained, screened and compensated private employees.

However, sometimes the consequences are worse.....much worse.

Like the case of disabled teenager Danieal Kelly, 14 who was starved to death by her caregivers who were supposed to be supervised by social workers from now-defunct MultiEthnic Behavioral Health, Inc. , a company that was contracted by the Philadelphia Human Services Commission to provide caseworkers that monitor at-risk children.

A federal jury in Philadelphia recently convicted company co-founders Mickal Kamauvaka and Solomon Manamela and former caseworkers Julius Juma Murray and Miriam Coulebaly of conspiracy, lying to federal agents and multiple counts of healthcare fraud.

prosecutors say the company defrauded the city of millions of dollars by not visiting needy families and falsifying records to show home visits were made that never occurred.

For a link to this article which appears on www.cbsnews.com: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-6267226-504083.html