WV MEDICAID CONTRACTS State Medicaid Program Could Lose Authority To Oversee Contract Awards
Reported by: Associated Press
Web Producer: Jeff Morris
Reported: Jan. 7, 2013 4:53 PM EST
Eyewitness News Photo
Charleston
, Kanawha County
, West Virginia
West Virginia's Medicaid program could lose the authority to oversee the awarding of its contracts.
The joint Legislative Oversight Commission on Health and Human Resources Accountability endorsed a bill Monday to repeal that power.
A 2009 law has allowed the Bureau of Medical Services to bypass the state's normal contract bidding process. But a legislative review found in August that the agency had fumbled the handling of one of West Virginia's most lucrative contracts.
The bureau twice botched the bid request phase for hiring a company to oversee Medicaid claims and records. Since the audit, the agency has awarded the nearly $250 million contract to Molina Medicaid Solutions. But another bidder, Xerox, is protesting that outcome as unfair.
The draft bill recommended Monday will appear during the upcoming regular session.
Copyright 2013 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
Allegheny County seeks gas drilling bids June 18, 2013 7:26 PM EDT Allegheny County officials say they plan to request bids for natural gas drilling under a public park.
18 mayors: Limit use of food stamps to buy soda June 18, 2013 6:33 PM EDT The mayor of Louisville, Ky., is among those in 18 cities, including New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, who are reviving a push against letting government food vouchers be used to buy soda and other sugary drinks.
Allegheny County seeks gas drilling bids June 18, 2013 7:26 PM EDT Allegheny County officials say they plan to request bids for natural gas drilling under a public park.
June 13, 2013 Rio Bravo-South Charleston; Pizza Hut-Kanawha City; Fifth Quarter makes the list. Find out who has violations and who gets the Clean Kitchen Award!
Associated Press
