Nevada’s Piglet Book 2014: Government failures cost more than dollars and cents
PLENTY OF PORK: Nevada’s 2014 Piglet Book documents millions in losses and tragic results from government waste, fraud and abuse.
By Michael Chamberlain | WatchdogWire.com
The Nevada Policy Research Institute documents numerous instances of government waste, fraud and abuse, costing taxpayers tens of millions of dollars, and worse, with today’s release of The Nevada Piglet Book 2014. The 30-plus pages by authors Geoffrey Lawrence and Cameron Belt are chock-full of examples of state and local government failures and their sometimes tragic results.
This edition of The Piglet Book reveals that the consequences of government failure aren’t always measured in just dollars and cents.
Las Vegas resident Linda Rolain tragically passed away on June 30, with complications caused by her inability to receive treatment for a brain tumor. Rolain was diagnosed with the tumor in January 2014. The condition called for immediate treatment, but it was unclear when the insurance coverage she chose from the Silver State Health Insurance Exchange took effect. Only in May, given miscommunication by Xerox, did Rolain and her husband learn that their policy had actually taken effect in March — meaning she could have begun treatment at that time. Rolain’s doctor claims that if treatments had begun in March they may have helped to prolong her life.
Possibly thousands of other Nevadans may mistakenly believe they are enrolled in a health insurance plan through Nevada’s attempt to create a health insurance exchange under the provisions of the federal Affordable Care Act, also known as “Obamacare.”
Because of these and myriad other failures of the system The Piglet Book predicts, “The fiasco jointly perpetrated by the State of Nevada and Xerox may soon rank among the greatest catastrophes in Nevada history.”
