Well, Psychosmiffy.
It’s been a while hasn’t it? Been on any good fact-finding missions lately? Sobibor, maybe?
Let’s have a look at the latest WCA development:
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/fears-disabled-brits-firm-takes-4611263
You said the change means a “fresh approach”.
However:
- US court files show Maximus has spent millions on payouts in the past settling lawsuits – including allegations of fraud, improper expenses and even disability discrimination.
- In 2007, Maximus agreed to pay £20million to the US federal government to settle criminal charges. The government alleged Maximus had helped the District of Columbia’s Child and Family Services Agency submit false claims to the Medicaid scheme, which provides health care to mainly elderly and disabled people.
- This followed a previous payout of £600,000 to the State of Wisconsin in 2000. It was ordered to pay back £300,000 after billing the state for improper expenses including “social functions and entertainment”. As a show of “good faith,” it also wrote a cheque for a further £300,000.
- Earlier this year, the State of Illinois terminated a £50m contract with Maximus to help clear a Medicaid backlog for the Department of Healthcare and Family Services. Maximus had claimed it would save the state £221 million by using sophisticated data-mining computer systems to kick ineligible people off Medicaid. But trade union AFSCME Council 31 had Maximus dismissed by an official arbitrator – following a federal review which found “about 30% of the Maximus recommendations for cancellation were in error”.
- Our experience of Maximus would argue their track record isn’t a good indicator that they can successfully fulfil the UK contract,” says trade union AFSCME.
- Perhaps most concerning of all, for a firm carrying out tests on disabled people, is that it was forced to pay out £30,000 after a disability discrimination case in 2012.
- Maximus was ordered to refrain from “engaging in any further discrimination against any person on the basis of disability”
In spite of the above, a DWP spokesman added: “As one of the largest occupational health providers in the UK and for governments worldwide, Maximus has a strong track record in excellent clinical expertise.” Your Department seems to be satisfied with setting the bar so low for “clinical expertise” – going by the above – that a snake’s belly would be hard-pushed to be any lower. The only thing I can see Maximus having a good track record in, from the above facts, is being able to convince government authorities to accept blatant bribes of up to £300,000 in order to wipe their appallingly tarnished slate for them.
So, this “fresh approach” means what, given these observations? Maximus has ideas that Atos didn’t think of for forcing as many of the 7.7 million “eligible claimants” (your own words, Psychosmiffy) off benefits as they possibly can in three years? What other purpose would there be in your employment of a company, that was cited for disability discrimination, to assess the disabled community for work fitness?
Between you, your hopelessly out-of-its-depth and chaotic Department and Atos have managed to cause the untimely deaths of a reasonably estimated 40,000 people since you took over the helm of the former. How many more sick and disabled people do you project that Maximus will send to early graves during their three-year contract term – about the same again, or are you seeking an increase in order to justify the additional 46% in contract cost? I note that they’ve already incorporated the Atos senior medical director for continuity purposes, so I guess they’ll have no problem in determining the targets that they have to hit in order to make it onto your Christmas card list. There will be no “fresh approach,” just a gleam in Gidiot’s eye as he sees opportunities arising to offset his revenue shortfall with fines. Well, let’s face it, he’s going to need some kind of income from them because he’s not going to be ensuring that they pay their taxes properly, is he?
There’s an old saying which has it that one gets just one chance to make a good first impression. Maximus leaves me with the impression that they should be wearing ten-gallon hats and spurs, and carrying lariats on their saddle horns.
With that in mind, I guess we in the disabled community ought to give this rogue company its new, British name, so it’s ready in time for the protest placards. MaxiMurderous or MaxiMurderUs – which do you think would be more suitable? I favour the latter because it will save 7.7% in felt tip pen ink or poster paint, as well as define what they’ve actually been employed to do.
Sincerely,
Darren Lynch
