Jimmy Chip E v. Beverly Buscemi
Filing
UNPUBLISHED PER CURIAM OPINION filed. Originating case number: 6:10-cv-00767-TMC Copies to all parties and the district court/agency. [999807772].. [15-1039]
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UNPUBLISHED
UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FOURTH CIRCUIT
No. 15-1039
JIMMY CHIP E,
Plaintiff – Appellant,
and
MICHELLE M; PETER B; KAREN W,
Plaintiffs,
v.
BEVERLY BUSCEMI; KELLY FLOYD; SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT OF
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES, The; SOUTH CAROLINA DEPARTMENT
OF DISABILITIES AND SPECIAL NEEDS, The; ANTHONY KECK;
RICHARD
HUNTRESS;
NIKKI
RANDHAWA
HALEY;
MARSHALL
C.
SANFORD,
Defendants – Appellees,
and
EMMA FORKNER,
Defendant.
Appeal from the United States District Court for the District of
South Carolina, at Greenville.
J. Michelle Childs, District
Judge; Timothy M. Cain, District Judge. (6:10-cv-00767-TMC)
Submitted:
April 21, 2016
Decided:
Before MOTZ, SHEDD, and KEENAN, Circuit Judges.
April 29, 2016
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Affirmed by unpublished per curiam opinion.
Patricia Logan Harrison, Columbia, South Carolina; Kenneth C.
Anthony, Jr., ANTHONY LAW FIRM, Spartanburg, South Carolina, for
Appellant. William H. Davidson, II, Kenneth P. Woodington,
DAVIDSON & LINDEMANN, P.A., Columbia, South Carolina, for
Appellees.
Unpublished opinions are not binding precedent in this circuit.
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PER CURIAM:
Jimmy Chip E (“Chip”), a participant in South Carolina’s
Medicaid waiver program, appeals from the district court’s order
dismissing his claims as moot.
We have reviewed the parties’
briefs and the joint appendix, and we find no reversible error.
Accordingly, we affirm substantially for the reasons stated by
the district court.
E v. Buscemi, No. 6:10-cv-00767-TMC (D.S.C.
Mar. 7, 2013).
We address two issues separately.
First, Chip contends
that he has a right to receive services ordered by his treating
physician and that Defendants’ failure to promptly provide such
services violates the Medicaid Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396a (2012),
and 42 U.S.C. § 1983 (2012).
As a result, Chip asserts that
this portion of his complaint was improperly dismissed.
Chip’s
claim is without merit for several reasons.
First, Chip rests his claim on a one-page 2010 affidavit
from his treating physician.
This does not purport to be an
“order,” nor does it state that, in the absence of the specific
care recommended, Chip would face risk of institutionalization.
Second,
while
deference,
statement.
a
treating
agencies
See
42
are
physician’s
not
U.S.C.
bound
§
by
opinion
a
is
treating
entitled
to
physician’s
1396n(i)(1)(G)(ii)(I)(aa)
(2012)
(providing that the treating physician should be consulted in
determining a care plan); see also Moore ex rel. Moore v. Reese,
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637 F.3d 1220, 1255 (11th Cir. 2011) (holding that a private
physician’s word is “not dispositive”).
evidence
in
the
record
that
Chip
requested any additional services.
or
Finally, there is no
his
physician
formally
Had he done so, any denial
or unreasonable delay would be subject to review through the
state
administrative
process,
and
potentially
beyond.
See
Doe v. Kidd, 501 F.3d 348, 351-52 (4th Cir. 2007) (describing
the
process
for
service
and
assistance
requests
in
South
Carolina).
Next, Chip raised a claim that his due process rights were
violated when he did not receive the proper notification and
hearing prior to the denial, reduction, or termination of his
services.
However,
administrative
prejudice.
(5th
proof
proceeding
of
denial
requires
a
of
due
showing
process
of
in
an
substantial
Jourdan v. Equitable Equip. Co., 889 F.2d 637, 640
Cir.
1989).
Here,
the
administrative
proceeding
was
resolved in Chip’s favor, and his services were not reduced.
Had
there
been
a
reduction,
Chip
could
have
raised
his
due
process claims in his administrative appeal and received proper
review.
Because Chip has alleged no injury personal to him, his
claim is without merit.
Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the district court.
We
dispense
with
oral
argument
4
because
the
facts
and
legal
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contentions
are
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adequately
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presented
in
the
materials
before
this court and argument would not aid the decisional process.
AFFIRMED
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