United Healthcare
Federal Trade Commission to investigate pharmacy middlemen
After years of pleading, the Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday voted to investigate the practices of some of the nation’s largest companies. They’re accused of using their dominance in myriad sectors of the health care space to drive up costs, drive out competition and reap profits. Four of the six companies to be investigated have […]
Ohio Medicaid won’t say if it considered federal oversight reports in massive procurement
The Ohio Department of Medicaid not only is refusing to release key oversight reports from its contractors, it’s refusing to say whether it even considered them last year as it undertook the largest public procurement in Ohio history. As a consequence of that procurement, the company with the highest score on the federally required oversight […]
Health companies accused of abuses even as they get giant government contracts
Even though two huge health care companies were accused of abusing Ohio taxpayers in the past, the Ohio Department of Medicaid this year awarded them historic contracts, anyway. Even as that’s happening, another form of abuse might be taking place, critics say. At issue is whether pharmacy middlemen owned by the companies are pocketing huge […]
Attempt to block $22 billion Medicaid contracts dismissed
A judge on Tuesday dismissed an attempt to overturn more than $22 billion worth of managed-care business as the Ohio Department of Medicaid tries to reshape the way it works with 3 million low-income and disabled Ohioans. However, questions remain about potential conflicts of interest on the part of some involved in awarding the business. […]
State says Medicaid director complied with ethics law, won’t share documents
The Ohio Department of Medicaid and the governor’s office last week insisted that Medicaid Director Maureen Corcoran complied with state ethics laws as her department entered into massive contracts earlier this year. However, they so far have refused to produce copies of affidavits that seem to be required by state law, and Corcoran is refusing […]
How info likely leading to massive settlement almost stayed hidden
It seems to be an object lesson in the importance of government transparency. Revelations that quite possibly led to a lawsuit and a billion-dollar settlement by the nation’s largest Medicaid managed-care provider almost never came to light, according to court documents filed last month. Meanwhile, huge drug middlemen are fighting to keep sealed damning information […]