Scandalized nonprofit receives federal ObamaCare contract

A major city social-services agency engulfed in a multimillion-dollar charity scandal has been awarded federal contracts to sign up people for ObamaCare, The Post has learned.

The Metropolitan Council on Jewish Poverty landed contracts to enroll the uninsured at five locations in The Bronx, according to the state Health Department.

Met Council former executive director William Rapfogel — a close pal of Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver — was charged last week with inflating insurance bills and siphoning $ 5 million from the nonprofit over a 20-year period.

Rapfogel resigned in August following an internal probe by Met Council. He quickly confessed to wrongdoing — without revealing the scope of his rip-off.

“I deeply regret the mistakes I have made that led to my departure from the organization” after 21 years of service,” Rapfogel said at the time.

Met Council hired David Frankel, who was serving as finance commissioner to Mayor Bloomberg, as the new executive director to clean up the mess.

An agency insider said the organization — which provides a multitude of social services to the needy — was victimized by Rapfogel and shouldn’t be denied funding.

“They do beautiful work. They target a population that no one else helps. They had a bad apple, and they got rid of him,” the source said of Rapfogel.

Met Council is expect to provide “navigation” services to help the uninsured enroll in ObamaCare within the next two weeks, according to one site director.

“We’re thrilled,” said Sally Dunford, executive director of West Bronx Housing.

“I’ve been keeping a list of people who want to enroll. This is wonderful.”

Dunford said Met Council sends a staffer to her location each week to enroll needy residents in the federal food-stamp program.

She said the organization will now also dispatch aides for ObamaCare sign-ups — at no cost to her organization.

The state Health Department declined comment on when Met Council was awarded the ObamaCare contracts, or how much it is being paid.

Yahoo Local News – New York Post

http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info/?p=14952

via Great Local News: New York http://newyork.greatlocalnews.info