{
  "id": "176067",
  "title": "Comprehensive FOIA Request for OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844 (Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services)",
  "agency": "Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services",
  "jurisdiction": "United States of America",
  "submitted": "2024-11-07 15:11:12.823576+00:00",
  "updated": "",
  "status": "Awaiting Appeal",
  "requester": "David Medeiros",
  "sourceUrl": "https://www.muckrock.com/foi/united-states-of-america-10/comprehensive-foia-request-for-ocr-transaction-number-01-25-592844-centers-for-medicare-and-medicaid-services-176067/",
  "requestText": "Comprehensive FOIA Request for OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844\r\n\r\nTo: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) – Office for Civil Rights (OCR) CC: FOIA Compliance Officers and Relevant Oversight Authorities Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) FOIA Division U.S. Department of Justice Civil Rights Division – ADA Compliance Connecticut Department of Social Services (DSS) Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities (CHRO)\r\n\r\nDear FOIA Officers, Supervisory Officers, and Relevant Authorities,\r\n\r\nThis letter constitutes a formal and detailed FOIA request for all records associated with OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844. This request is made under the federal Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. § 552) and relevant state FOIA statutes, including the Connecticut Freedom of Information Act (Conn. Gen. Stat. § 1-200 et seq.). As a brain injury survivor, whistleblower, and Medicaid consumer advocate, I seek these records to ensure transparency, procedural integrity, and ADA compliance.\r\n\r\nScope of Request: This FOIA request encompasses all relevant records associated with OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844, including records created, received, reviewed, or used by the Office for Civil Rights, CMS, DOJ Civil Rights Division, Connecticut DSS, and CHRO. The scope of this request is intended to capture all documentation, communications, and procedural records relevant to my case, OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844, which involves complaints regarding ADA non-compliance, discrimination, and procedural obstructions within DSS and CHRO.\r\n\r\nSpecifically, I request comprehensive disclosure of records under the following categories:\r\n\r\n1. Complete Internal and External Communications\r\nEmails, internal messages, letters, and digital communications related to OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nCommunications between OCR personnel, CMS representatives, DOJ Civil Rights Division, Connecticut DSS, CHRO, and other stakeholders concerning ADA compliance, civil rights protections, whistleblower retaliation, and procedural handling.\r\nDetailed logs of communications (including sender, recipient, date, and subject) between involved agencies and individuals in connection with OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\n\r\n2. Personnel Documentation and Oversight Records\r\nRecords detailing the job roles, responsibilities, and titles of all OCR, CMS, DSS, and CHRO personnel involved in handling or overseeing my case, including specific ADA compliance roles, civil rights enforcement roles, and whistleblower handling responsibilities.\r\nOrganizational charts and supervisory oversight documentation for all personnel involved in or overseeing OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\n\r\n3. Case Handling and Decision-Making Documentation\r\nInternal and external case reports, status updates, decision-making logs, case processing logs, workflow charts, and progress reports specific to OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nDetailed descriptions and timelines for each action taken, including explanations for any delays, incomplete responses, or procedural omissions related to this case.\r\nRecords outlining guidance documents and internal policies referenced in processing OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844, particularly ADA, FOIA, and civil rights compliance guidelines.\r\n\r\n4. Contracts, Agreements, and Financial Records\r\nAny contracts, agreements, MOUs, or financial transactions relevant to OCR’s engagement with external consultants or resources in relation to my case.\r\nRecords reflecting financial allocations and expenditures applied to the investigation, management, or oversight of OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844, including budgets for ADA compliance and civil rights enforcement.\r\n\r\n5. Policy and Procedural Documentation\r\nComplete internal policies, procedural guidelines, and compliance standards related to OCR’s handling of ADA complaints, civil rights compliance, whistleblower protections, and procedural integrity.\r\nOCR’s guidelines and directives for ADA accommodation and compliance processing, especially regarding brain injury survivors, Medicaid consumer protections, and the handling of complex FOIA requests.\r\n\r\n6. Historical Records and Documentation of Previous Complaints\r\nComplaint histories, retaliation protections, and whistleblower complaint records involving personnel handling OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nPrevious investigations, formal complaints, and procedural changes related to ADA, FOIA, and whistleblower protections within OCR, DSS, or CHRO.\r\n\r\n7. Complete Document Histories, Drafts, and Revisions\r\nAll drafts, versions, and annotated notes of official documents generated in relation to OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nComplete histories of document revisions, including tracked changes, comments, and updates by OCR, DSS, or CHRO personnel.\r\n\r\n8. Audit Findings, Compliance Reviews, and Corrective Action Records\r\nInternal or third-party audit findings, compliance reviews, and corrective action plans related to the procedural handling of ADA complaints, FOIA administration, and whistleblower protections, particularly those affecting OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nDocumentation of federal or state compliance investigations or oversight reports relevant to OCR’s ADA and civil rights compliance responsibilities.\r\n\r\n9. FOIA Compliance and Denials, Redactions, and Justifications\r\nDocumentation of any previous FOIA responses, denials, redactions, and exemptions applied to my requests concerning OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844.\r\nFor any redactions, I request a clear explanation, including specific legal exemptions cited, justifications, and summaries of withheld content to maintain transparency and accessibility.\r\n\r\nAccommodation Requirements for Compliance\r\nTo ensure that all records are accessible and ADA-compliant, please apply the following accommodations consistently:\r\n\r\nExclusive Email-Only Communication:\r\nSend all responses, records, and updates exclusively via email to AabiWR@live.com. Do not use physical mail, phone calls, portal-based communications, or any external links. This ensures uninterrupted and barrier-free access to information.\r\n\r\nAccessible Document Formatting:\r\nInclude the full text of each response within the email body, and attach all supporting documents as labeled PDFs, organized by category and date.\r\nEnsure documents are screen reader-compatible to maintain accessibility.\r\n\r\nClear Justifications for Redactions and Denials:\r\nFor any withheld or redacted records, provide a complete justification, including specific statutes or legal exemptions. Include a summary of redacted content wherever feasible.\r\n\r\nIdentification of Responsible FOIA Officers and Supervisory Personnel:\r\nProvide the full names, titles, email addresses, and phone numbers of all FOIA officers, decision-makers, or supervisors handling this request.\r\n\r\nRequest for Expedited Processing\r\nGiven the significance of OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844 and the public interest in ADA compliance, civil rights enforcement, and procedural integrity within DSS and CHRO, I request expedited processing under 5 U.S.C. § 552(a)(6)(E). Delayed access to these records obstructs effective oversight and hinders efforts to protect vulnerable populations.\r\n\r\nJustification for Fee Waiver\r\nThis request seeks information critical to the public interest regarding ADA enforcement, civil rights protections, and DSS’s handling of Medicaid-related complaints. Disclosure will directly benefit public understanding and support governmental accountability. Therefore, I request a waiver of all associated fees, as this request is not for commercial purposes.\r\n\r\nTimeline for Response\r\nUnder FOIA, I request acknowledgment within the statutory timeframe, along with a timeline for compliance. Please notify me promptly if clarifications or additional processing time are needed. Contact me exclusively at AabiWR@live.com.\r\n\r\nLegal Basis for This Request\r\nThis request and appeal are grounded in the following statutes:\r\n\r\n5 U.S.C. § 552 (Federal FOIA) – Governing the public’s right to access federal records.\r\nConnecticut FOIA (C.G.S. §§ 1-200 to 1-242) – Requiring prompt, transparent access to state records.\r\nAmericans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq.) – Ensuring reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.\r\nSection 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 U.S.C. § 794) – Mandating equal access and accommodation for individuals with disabilities in federally funded programs.\r\nThank you for your attention to this important matter. Full and prompt disclosure of these records is crucial for ensuring transparency, ADA compliance, and public accountability within the government’s handling of ADA-related complaints and civil rights protections.\r\n\r\nSincerely,\r\n\r\nDavid Medeiros\r\nFounder, ABI Resources\r\nEmail: AabiWR@live.com",
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      "subject": "Preserved binder fragment — page 1326",
      "text": "DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES   \nCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services \n7500 Security Boulevard, Mail Stop C5-11-06 \nBaltimore, Maryland 21244-1850  \n              \n \nOffice of Strategic Operations and Regulatory Affairs / Freedom of Information Group  \nRequest has been assigned: Control Number 112020247039 and PIN T6FV  \n \n11/25/2024   \n \nDavid Medeiros \nABI Resources LLC  \nDEPT MR 176067  \n263 Huntington Ave  \nBoston, MA 02115 \n \nDear David Medeiros: \n \nThis letter is to acknowledge receipt of your Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 U.S.C. § 552) request and to \nprovide you with a tracking number.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) received your FOIA \nrequest on November 20, 2024, pertaining to OCR Transaction Number: 01-25-592844. \n \nTo check the status of your request as it is being processed, please refer to the CMS FOIA website at \nhttps://foia-request.cms.gov/check-status and enter the control number and PIN (listed at the top of the page) \nthat has been assigned to your request.   \n \nOnce we complete our initial analysis of your request, we will initiate a search for responsive records.  If, \nhowever, we determine that your request needs clarification, we will contact you. Additionally, if our searching \nunits advise us that you have requested a voluminous number of records that requires extensive search, \nproduction, and review, we will contact you to discuss options for narrowing the scope to process your request \nas quickly and efficiently as possible. \n \nPlease note that CMS receives a very high volume of FOIA requests.  The following unusual circumstances, as \ndefined by 5 USC § 552(a)(6), may affect our ability to fulfill a FOIA request within 20 business days.  These \ninclude circumstances such as (1) the request requires us to search for and collect records from multiple \ncomponents and/or field offices; (2) the request involves a voluminous number of records that must be located, \ncompiled, transferred to this office, and reviewed.  In addition, given our high volume of requests, and in \naccordance with federal regulations, our processing policy includes factors such as the date and complexity of  \nthe request.  \n \nThe FOIA assumes that requesters are willing to pay fees up to $25.00.  If estimated fees to process your \nrequest exceed $25.00, we will notify you and may suspend processing until we receive written confirmation \nthat you are willing to pay the estimated fees.  Additionally, if the \nestimated fees exceed $250.00, the law authorizes us to collect the fees in advance of processing \nthe request. \n \nIf your request sought a fee waiver or expedited processing, we will send additional communication to provide \nyou with our determination decision(s). \n \nIf you are not satisfied with any aspect of the processing and handling of this request, please contact Tahleemah \nJohnson at 667-290-8683.",
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