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Child abuse lawsuit filed against state over 10-year-old girl’s death
SA: … A lawsuit has been filed on behalf of the estate of Geanna Bradley against four adults living in the Wahiawa house where the 10-year-old girl was found dead from years of abuse and starvation, and against the state of Hawaii, including the Department of Human Services and its employees.
The civil complaint alleges DHS social worker Deborah Yoshizumi downplayed the allegations of abuse made in 2015 by Bradley’s biological father, Gerime Bradley, against Thomas Blas Sr. and Brandy Blas, shortly after Geanna Bradley had been placed by DHS, specifically by Yoshizumi, into their foster care.
Although Yoshizumi is not a named defendant in Cummings v. Blas et al., the lawsuit details her alleged involvement.
The father related to Yoshizumi in 2015 that his daughter, then about 3 years old, told him that the Blases were beating her, mostly for toileting issues, according to the complaint filed March 11 in the Oahu Circuit Court by Nicole Cummings, the appointed personal representative of Bradley’s estate.
“Yoshizumi downplayed the allegations, reassured G.M.B.’s father that the Blases were known to Yoshizumi, dissuaded G.M.B.’s father from making a formal report, and never logged or otherwise documented what was happening to G.M.B.,” the complaint says.
Randall Rosenberg, an attorney for Cummings, said the reason the Child Welfare Services’ social worker was not named as a defendant was because a judge in another case dismissed the individual state employee because it was “duplicative” of naming the state of Hawaii as a defendant.
“We are doing more research and may name her as a defendant later,” he said….
read … Child abuse lawsuit filed against state over 10-year-old girl’s death | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
Doctors: HMSA ‘Prior Authorization’ impacts care and leads to burnout
HPR: … Lawmakers are trying to reform an insurance practice aimed at curbing unnecessary treatments called "prior authorization” — when health care providers need approval from insurers before delivering medical services or medications.
“Prior authorization was the number one complaint for physicians in terms of being both a huge administrative burden for them as well as making them feel like they couldn't give their patients the quality of care that they were trained to give their patients,” state Rep. Lisa Marten said.
She introduced one of the bills taking the first steps to reform prior authorization.
Physicians in Hawaiʻi, and across the country, have raised concerns that the policy is making it difficult for many people to get medical services. They say the administrative burden is impacting their ability to deliver care.
Dr. Jerry Garcia, a double board-certified pain specialist with the Hawaii Medical Association, explained that he wouldn’t have an issue with prior authorization if it were just for the more extensive procedures. However, even routine procedures now require it.
“Even small procedures like trigger points and joint injections now require prior authorization. In the past, you just put some cortisone in the knee or shoulder and provide the patient with almost immediate pain relief,” he said.
“Now the patient has to wait two weeks before it gets approved – and oftentimes it's not going to automatically get approved because they want more information. More than denying, it's really more delaying.”
The Hawaii Medical Service Association, the state’s largest insurance provider, approved 90% of prior authorization requests in 2024. Nationally, 83% of denied prior authorization requests were overturned in 2022….
Hawaiʻi Public Radio spoke with doctors who said services like MRIs, CT scans, blood tests, and even diabetes medications have required prior authorization from insurance companies.
HMSA posts a list on its website of the many services that require prior authorization….
The University of Hawaiʻi John A. Burns School of Medicine Area Health Education Center surveyed about 100 physicians statewide to better understand the impact of prior authorization.
It found that doctors and their staff spend about 20 hours a week on average exclusively working on prior authorizations….
Two bills before the Legislature would create a working group with insurance providers and doctors to come up with recommendations on best practices for prior authorization that they could voluntarily adopt. Both bills also require insurance companies to report prior authorization data to the State Health Planning and Development Agency….
HB250 awaits a hearing from the Senate Commerce and Consumer Protection, and Ways and Means committees. SB1449 awaits a hearing in the House Consumer Protection Committee….
2024: Court: HMSA Physician Contracts “oppressive, unconscionable, and unenforceable”
2019: Lawsuit: How HMSA Ran Down Clock on Expensive Cancer Patient
READ … Doctors call for reform on insurance practice they say impacts care and leads to burnout
How Much? Honolulu Rail Board Approves Settlement In $200M Howard Hughes Land Acquisition Lawsuit
CB: … The Honolulu rail board voted unanimously Friday to settle a protracted legal battle with developer Howards Hughes Corp., a legal dispute that has already cost the city tens of millions of dollars in legal fees and costs.
But Honolulu Authority for Rapid Transportation board members declined to say how much the city will pay to finally settle the lawsuit with Howard Hughes’ local subsidiary Victoria Ward Ltd.
The cost of the settlement to city taxpayers will be made public later once it has been approved in court, board members said.
The Dallas-based developer Howard Hughes wanted compensation totaling more than $200 million for 2 acres of land between Cooke and Kamakee streets, land that HART has been trying to acquire to extend the elevated rail line beyond the current rail terminus near South and Halekauwila streets in Kakaʻako ….
read … Honolulu Rail Board Approves Settlement In Major Land Acquisition Lawsuit
19 Months Later: Maui Council passes bill allowing certain Lahaina structures to be rebuilt as they were
KHON: … Many Lahaina residents will be able to rebuild quicker thanks to a new bill passed on March 21 at the Maui County Council.
Historic churches will also benefit, allowing many properties to be built back as they were before the fires and bypassing ‘new’ zoning laws.
The Maui County Council unanimously voted to allow property owners to rebuild to its original condition, even if it doesn’t meet certain modern codes like zoning or land-use, which could take months to approve….
West Maui Councilmember Tamara Paltin said many Lahaina residents have been waiting for this bill to pass because they had minor setback discrepancies and the Planning Department was holding their permits.
“Some folks didn’t even want to start consulting with their design professional until we passed this bill,” Paltin said. “So they would know exactly what was allowed because every time you have to change your plans that costs additional money.”
As Explained 19 mos ago: Do Lahaina Property Owners Have the Right to Rebuild?
read … Maui Council passes bill allowing certain Lahaina structures to build back as it was | KHON2
Kapolei: 655 ‘Undivided Interest’ DHHL Leases
SA: … The state Department of Hawaiian Home Lands intends to award 665 “undivided interest” leases this morning for future house lots in the agency’s Ka‘uluokaha‘i and Kaupe‘a communities.
The event at the Salvation Army Kroc Center represents the first time DHHL has awarded such leases since the 2000s….
HNN: New leases fill Hawaii waitlisters with 'more hope'
read … Leases for future Hawaiian homestead lots set for awarding | Honolulu Star-Advertiser
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