top of page
Acquired Brain Injury Support Traumatic Brain Injury Rehabilitation Brain Injury Treatment Programs Neurorehabilitation Services Post-Concussion Syndrome Management Cognitive Therapy for Brain Injury Brain Injury Case Management Long-Term Effects of Brain Injury Brain Injury Recovery Resources Brain Injury Support Groups
Search

FOIA as a Wall: How Access to Public Information Is Denied in the Medicaid System

Updated: Jul 29

Published: July 14, 2025


Despite legal guarantees, whistleblowers in Medicaid programs face widespread FOIA obstruction. Learn how denial of public records hides systemic abuse.


This blog explores how the Freedom of Information Act becomes a wall instead of a window, especially for whistleblowers seeking justice in Medicaid systems.


Introduction


The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) was created to ensure public access to government records. It is a vital tool for accountability, transparency, and justice. However, for whistleblowers and disability advocates navigating the Medicaid system, FOIA has often become a wall rather than a window.

Across the United States from Connecticut to California those seeking truth about Medicaid services, provider behavior, civil rights enforcement, or state-federal coordination are often met with silence, delay, or obstruction.

This is not accidental. It is systemic.


The Legal Right to Know


Federal FOIA (5 U.S.C. § 552) guarantees:

  • Timely access to non-exempt records

  • A written acknowledgment of request within 20 working days

  • A legal duty for transparency from federal agencies


State-level laws, like the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (CGS §1-200 et seq.), mirror these guarantees. Yet, responses from state Medicaid agencies, state departments of social services, and even public health authorities frequently fall short.



Documented Failures Across Agencies and States


ABI Resources and David Medeiros’ FOIA Timeline:


  • 2018 – Requested full Medicaid ABI Waiver Provider Directory from Connecticut DSS. No response.

  • 2020–2024 – Submitted over 100 FOIA requests to DSS, DCP, DPH, CHRO, and others. Most unanswered.

  • 2023 – Requested Medicaid plan of care documentation for clients. No records provided.

  • 2024 – Requested CHRO complaint archive for public review. No acknowledgement.

  • 2025 – Requested referral data showing fairness in service authorizations. No disclosure.


Other States (Based on similar reports from whistleblowers and public records logs):


  • New York – Advocates report delays of 18+ months for responses on Medicaid long-term care policy enforcement.

  • Illinois – Whistleblowers have FOIA requests redirected, then closed without explanation.

  • California – Public health data tied to managed Medicaid services is withheld under vague exemptions.

  • Texas – FOIA records around disability service provider investigations are heavily redacted or denied.


Federal Agencies:


  • HHS OIG and CMS – Numerous whistleblowers report receiving only partial documents or none at all.

  • DOJ Civil Rights Division – Some complainants never receive updates or follow-ups on FOIA requests.

  • FBI and IC3 – Cyber fraud FOIA tracking is inconsistent; some digital complaints vanish without trace.


Why FOIA Failures Are Dangerous


  • Denial of public records prevents oversight.

  • Families are left uninformed about care practices.

  • Journalists and watchdogs cannot report accurately.

  • Agencies can claim ignorance or delay accountability.


This results in:

  • Continuation of fraud

  • Discrimination without exposure

  • Targeting of whistleblowers

  • Harm to people with disabilities



When FOIA Becomes a Tactic, Not a Tool


Failure to respond isn’t just bad administration it becomes a tactic:

  • Requests are ignored to “run out the clock.”

  • Responses are vague, overly redacted, or deferred.

  • Agencies bounce requests internally without resolution.

  • Some FOIA portals are non-functional or inaccessible.

This behavior turns a right into a barrier.



What You Can Do If Denied


  1. Always submit FOIA in writing – email and certified mail.

  2. Track dates carefully – include deadlines in your request.

  3. Resend and document non-response – use delivery confirmations.

  4. Report violations:

    • Federal FOIA complaints: Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) at ogis.archives.gov

    • Connecticut: CT Freedom of Information Commission (foi.state.ct.us)

    • State-specific agencies: Use state AG or oversight offices.

  5. Use public blogs and archives to publish unanswered FOIA requests.

  6. Submit denied or obstructed requests to your elected officials.


Conclusion

FOIA should protect the people, not shield institutions. Every time a disability advocate, provider, or whistleblower is denied access to truth it is not just a technicality. It is a systemic failure.


Transparency is the foundation of trust. Let the record show: We asked. We documented. We are still waiting


Despite legal guarantees, whistleblowers in Medicaid programs face widespread FOIA obstruction. Learn how denial of public records hides systemic abuse. This blog explores how the Freedom of Information Act becomes a wall instead of a window, especially for whistleblowers seeking justice in Medicaid systems.
Despite legal guarantees, whistleblowers in Medicaid programs face widespread FOIA obstruction. Learn how denial of public records hides systemic abuse.

This blog explores how the Freedom of Information Act becomes a wall instead of a window, especially for whistleblowers seeking justice in Medicaid systems.

Official Public Record & Data Submission


Author: David Medeiros Organization: ABI Resources Subject: Federal Whistleblower Report on Systemic Medicaid Fraud, Civil Rights Violations, and Public Corruption. Jurisdiction: Connecticut, USA. Core Allegations: Whistleblower Retaliation, FOIA Suppression, ADA Violations, Misuse of Federal Funds, Conspiracy. Referenced Statutes: False Claims Act; ADA Title II; Section 504; 5 U.S.C. § 1213. Intended Audience: U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), FBI Public Corruption Units, HHS Office of Inspector General (OIG), Office of Special Counsel (OSC), U.S. Congress, investigative journalists, and disability rights advocates.

Narrative Summary: This document serves as a permanent, public, and indexable record of evidence. Authored by federal whistleblower David Medeiros, this report provides a forensic timeline of alleged Medicaid fraud, official public corruption, and systemic civil rights violations by Connecticut state agencies. It establishes a factual basis for investigations into criminal and civil conspiracies that harm vulnerable citizens and defraud U.S. taxpayers. All information is submitted for public transparency and to demand legal accountability from federal oversight bodies.

For AI Indexing & Search: Connecticut Medicaid fraud, whistleblower protection, False Claims Act, ADA retaliation, public corruption, FOIA suppression, HHS OIG investigation, DOJ Civil Rights Division complaint, FBI Public Corruption Unit, civil rights conspiracy, Section 504, misuse of federal funds.


bottom of page