July 9, 1975 (8 pages)

, bel Earl G. Waters D "July'9, 1975 'Wed., The Nevada County Nugget 3 Paper shuffling Those who have long harbored bitter resentments against government bureaucrats, born of the frustrations of endless red tape and paper shutfling, have found a new hero in Governor ’ Jerry Brown. « If ever there was a hater of the reams of forms and documents produced by government, the endless time and clerical effort involved, in scrutinizing such forms and filing them for posterity, the state’s new chief executive is cong caer stag himself as being foremost He is storming through state agencies, like Sherman -marching .through the South, destroying the paper shufflers right and left. Nothing could be more devastating to a bureaucrat than Brown’s recent reaction to a massive plan devised to cope with the unemployment problem. “It’s just a stack of paper to me,” he scathingly observed. That his contempt for needless red tape is sifting rapidly down to the operating ' agencies became spectacularly apparent recently with the announcement by Health and _ Welfare Secretary Mario Obledo of the dropping of authorization” requirements for Medi-Cal patients. Under that system, established by Obledo’s predecessor Dr. Earl Brian, almost all visits to physicians required prior approval by the state. So, too, did the filling of most prescriptions. To enforce those provisions the state hired 57 doctors and untold clerical ‘staff. ‘That very fact telegraphs the . impracticality of rule. Can you a doctor, who has not seen the patient involved, telling the physician caring for the ’ patient that it isn’t necessary for him to provide the treatment he has recommended? It doesn’t happen and would be unprofessional conduct if it did. Obledo, in announcing the cessation of the regulation, said it was pursuant to ‘‘the ’ Governor’s request to eliminate wasteful bureaucratic paper barriers to good health.” “This,” said “bledo, “will eliminate the ne for at least one million tele: one calls and the unecessa filling out, mailing andp _ssing of eight million piece: .: paper which physicians, ;: armaeists, and other « health:~ care providers must now submit to the State Department of Health.” That the whole process was unnecessary is documented by Obledo who disclosed that more than 98 per cent of the prior authorization forms were ‘“‘perfunctorily . approved.”’ Moreover 90 cent of the denials were based upon failure to conform to bureaucratic schedules and unrelated to the merits of. the proposed treatment. “Last year,” Obledo stated, clerical salaries that produced ‘“‘prior : only $300,000 in dénied fees.” This he said not only gained a net loss of $600,000 to the taxpayers but cost the doctors an estimated $2 million in time and untold delay in care for 400,000 sick Californians. __ Obledo said it ‘demonstrates the need to carefully scrutinize bureaucracies that are more concerned: with paper shuffling than cost-saving or providing services to-the people.” And, as he indicated, the requirement also had the further drawback of constituting a blanket indictment of California’s 30,000 physicians and all of its pharmacists by ‘‘assuming that none can bé trusted.” No one can deny that there is a need for government to keep basic records. But the bureaucrat is never satisfied to do s the simple way. He is . Keep the strain off constantly seeking to revise and ~ ‘implement.’ The resuit becomes a stack of forms which require the services of a CPA and a Philadelphia lawyer to complete. Government has become’ so involved in what Obledo aptly describes as “paper shuffling’’ that it has developed an army of ‘form management experts.’ These are the thick lensed, unobtrusive’ and shadowy “efficiency experts’. who delight in devising forms to extract information down to: one’s eye teeth. This produces the ‘‘wasteful bureaucratic paper barriers’ so distasteful to the Governor. Obledo’s action will bring massive sighs of relief from the physicians and pharmacists throughout the state. s > Liberal Art Commission elects five new directors Liberal Arts Commission’s last meeting of the current year was concerned with the election of five directors and with annual reports. New directors James DeMartini and Marian Ghidotti and. incumbants Ilsa Barnhart, James Menseni and George Kerley were elected. Treasurer Bill . Briggs reported $5,500.00 has been paid toward restoration in the past year. All records are now in the hands of Mike Davitt who is doing the annual audit. Beth White reported a total of 293 paid memberships which is an increase of 75 new members. Allan Rogers reported the Building committee continues to work on the . requests of the State Fire Marshall and that this work will be completed within the MAKE THIS . THE SUMMER OF 78. & tilator which can reduce Time span allowed. Ways and Means reported figures are incomplete but earnings of the 1975 Antiques Show will total:almost $2,000. And that the Theatre Birthday Party will be held Saturday, September 6 at the Nevada City Elks Club. It was noted the April drama festival, that received such enthusiastic support of participating schools will be developed as an annual event. Coming events include a show for children when Richard Bay, well known puppeteer of Sacramento, wilt bring his troupe of puppets to the old . Nevada for a matinee and —— t cheaivaiwcnel my eoeuee sot t ated an, your air conditioningand off your budgetby setting your air conditioner thermostat at 78° “ this summer. You'll save ™ energy, and help: hold down your utility bill, too. It only takes an inside tempera_ ture of 78°:to feel'pleasantly cool-and comfortable. Driving the temperature down to 75° or lower increases energy cost by at least 10%. A practical way to keep ‘cool inside is by keeping heat outside. Check your attic to be sure your your insulation is adequate (“R-19” standard) to keep summer heat out of your living space. — And be sure you have good crossventilation, or an attic exhaust venAms mide dey Ny hotecg attic temperatures up to 50° and greatly reduce the load on your air conditioner. Hang your light-colored drapes to reflect sunshine back outside. Outside awnings, sunshades, or leafy plantings on the hot side of your-house-areeven Better at producing natural coolness in and around your home. So set your central air condition ing at 78° (ar use the “warmer” setting on room air conditioners) and, mark the proper setting with pencil.or crayon. Plan now to make this The Summer of 78. You'll keep your cool and save money, too. at Ot ee oe Papas yor at We a name ‘ ' a ea tcsm bang e As's & ahinioe phic Pabsed «Pots OB esduaga . es

, bel Earl G. Waters D "July'9, 1975 'Wed., The Nevada County Nugget 3 Paper shuffling Those who have long harbored bitter resentments against government bureaucrats, born of the frustrations of endless red tape and paper shutfling, have found a new hero in Governor ’ Jerry Brown. « If ever there was a hater of the reams of forms and documents produced by government, the endless time and clerical effort involved, in scrutinizing such forms and filing them for posterity, the state’s new chief executive is cong caer stag himself as being foremost He is storming through state agencies, like Sherman -marching .through the South, destroying the paper shufflers right and left. Nothing could be more devastating to a bureaucrat than Brown’s recent reaction to a massive plan devised to cope with the unemployment problem. “It’s just a stack of paper to me,” he scathingly observed. That his contempt for needless red tape is sifting rapidly down to the operating ' agencies became spectacularly apparent recently with the announcement by Health and _ Welfare Secretary Mario Obledo of the dropping of authorization” requirements for Medi-Cal patients. Under that system, established by Obledo’s predecessor Dr. Earl Brian, almost all visits to physicians required prior approval by the state. So, too, did the filling of most prescriptions. To enforce those provisions the state hired 57 doctors and untold clerical ‘staff. ‘That very fact telegraphs the . impracticality of rule. Can you a doctor, who has not seen the patient involved, telling the physician caring for the ’ patient that it isn’t necessary for him to provide the treatment he has recommended? It doesn’t happen and would be unprofessional conduct if it did. Obledo, in announcing the cessation of the regulation, said it was pursuant to ‘‘the ’ Governor’s request to eliminate wasteful bureaucratic paper barriers to good health.” “This,” said “bledo, “will eliminate the ne for at least one million tele: one calls and the unecessa filling out, mailing andp _ssing of eight million piece: .: paper which physicians, ;: armaeists, and other « health:~ care providers must now submit to the State Department of Health.” That the whole process was unnecessary is documented by Obledo who disclosed that more than 98 per cent of the prior authorization forms were ‘“‘perfunctorily . approved.”’ Moreover 90 cent of the denials were based upon failure to conform to bureaucratic schedules and unrelated to the merits of. the proposed treatment. “Last year,” Obledo stated, clerical salaries that produced ‘“‘prior : only $300,000 in dénied fees.” This he said not only gained a net loss of $600,000 to the taxpayers but cost the doctors an estimated $2 million in time and untold delay in care for 400,000 sick Californians. __ Obledo said it ‘demonstrates the need to carefully scrutinize bureaucracies that are more concerned: with paper shuffling than cost-saving or providing services to-the people.” And, as he indicated, the requirement also had the further drawback of constituting a blanket indictment of California’s 30,000 physicians and all of its pharmacists by ‘‘assuming that none can bé trusted.” No one can deny that there is a need for government to keep basic records. But the bureaucrat is never satisfied to do s the simple way. He is . Keep the strain off constantly seeking to revise and ~ ‘implement.’ The resuit

becomes a stack of forms which require the services of a CPA and a Philadelphia lawyer to complete. Government has become’ so involved in what Obledo aptly describes as “paper shuffling’’ that it has developed an army of ‘form management experts.’ These are the thick lensed, unobtrusive’ and shadowy “efficiency experts’. who delight in devising forms to extract information down to: one’s eye teeth. This produces the ‘‘wasteful bureaucratic paper barriers’ so distasteful to the Governor. Obledo’s action will bring massive sighs of relief from the physicians and pharmacists throughout the state. s > Liberal Art Commission elects five new directors Liberal Arts Commission’s last meeting of the current year was concerned with the election of five directors and with annual reports. New directors James DeMartini and Marian Ghidotti and. incumbants Ilsa Barnhart, James Menseni and George Kerley were elected. Treasurer Bill . Briggs reported $5,500.00 has been paid toward restoration in the past year. All records are now in the hands of Mike Davitt who is doing the annual audit. Beth White reported a total of 293 paid memberships which is an increase of 75 new members. Allan Rogers reported the Building committee continues to work on the . requests of the State Fire Marshall and that this work will be completed within the MAKE THIS . THE SUMMER OF 78. & tilator which can reduce Time span allowed. Ways and Means reported figures are incomplete but earnings of the 1975 Antiques Show will total:almost $2,000. And that the Theatre Birthday Party will be held Saturday, September 6 at the Nevada City Elks Club. It was noted the April drama festival, that received such enthusiastic support of participating schools will be developed as an annual event. Coming events include a show for children when Richard Bay, well known puppeteer of Sacramento, wilt bring his troupe of puppets to the old . Nevada for a matinee and —— t cheaivaiwcnel my eoeuee sot t ated an, your air conditioningand off your budgetby setting your air conditioner thermostat at 78° “ this summer. You'll save ™ energy, and help: hold down your utility bill, too. It only takes an inside tempera_ ture of 78°:to feel'pleasantly cool-and comfortable. Driving the temperature down to 75° or lower increases energy cost by at least 10%. A practical way to keep ‘cool inside is by keeping heat outside. Check your attic to be sure your your insulation is adequate (“R-19” standard) to keep summer heat out of your living space. — And be sure you have good crossventilation, or an attic exhaust venAms mide dey Ny hotecg attic temperatures up to 50° and greatly reduce the load on your air conditioner. Hang your light-colored drapes to reflect sunshine back outside. Outside awnings, sunshades, or leafy plantings on the hot side of your-house-areeven Better at producing natural coolness in and around your home. So set your central air condition ing at 78° (ar use the “warmer” setting on room air conditioners) and, mark the proper setting with pencil.or crayon. Plan now to make this The Summer of 78. You'll keep your cool and save money, too. at Ot ee oe Papas yor at We a name ‘ ' a ea tcsm bang e As's & ahinioe phic Pabsed «Pots OB esduaga . es