Health News
- Significant Management Improvements At Passport Health Plan, Audit Finds
Passport Health Plan has improved significantly since a 2010 audit uncovered wasteful spending and other problems, a new audit has concluded. The managed care organization that cares for Medicaid recipients in Jefferson and 15 surrounding counties "has...
- Passport To Lose Exclusive Contract For Louisville-area Medicaid At End Of 2012; More Choice Needed, Federal Agency Says
The exclusive contract the state has with Passport Health Plan, which provides Medicaid coverage for 170,000 people in Jefferson and 16 neighboring counties, has been extended until the end of next year. But after that, the state must adopt a different...
- State Senator Says U Of L Doctors Used Medicaid Funds To Pay Themselves $4.8 Million In Bonuses, Seeks More Oversight
State Sen. Tim Shaughnessy has questioned a $30 million transfer of surplus Medicaid funds to Passport Health Plan board members in 2008 and 2009. Shaughnessy, a Louisville Democrat, says doctors at the University of Louisville medical school paid bonuses...
- U Of L Physicians' Group Drops Open-records Appeal, But C-j May Still Not Get Records
An organization representing University of Louisville doctors who were trying to keep their financial records private dropped its lawsuit appealing an adverse open-records decision Tuesday. In April, Attorney General Jack Conway ruled that University...
- U Of L Physician Groups Tied To Passport Health Plan Must Release Salary And Expense Records, Attorney General Rules
Two groups representing University of Louisville's faculty physicians have been deemed public agencies and are subject to open records laws, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has ruled. The groups therefore violated the Kentucky Open Records Act...
Health News
Judge rules Passport managed-care plan for Medicaid in Louisville region is subject to state Open Records Act
As Kentucky prepares to put more of its Medicaid program under a managed-care system to save money, a judge has ruled that the contractor running the program's only managed-care plan is a public agency subject to the state Open Records Act.
Ruling in a lawsuit filed by The Courier-Journal, Jefferson Circuit Judge Susan Schultz Gibson wrote, "Since Passport exists for the purpose of administering the Medicaid program on behalf of the Commonwealth, the sought records all appear to relate to Passport?s state-related operations."
Passport, which can appeal the ruling, declined to comment. A consortium of Louisville-area hospitals, physicians and other health care providers, it serves about 165,000 poor and disabled Medicaid patients in 16 counties in the Louisville region under a $740 million annual contract. The state administers the program but most of its money comes from the federal government.
"While it has been praised by lawmakers for providing good care and saving the state money, it came under fire last year after a critical audit by state Auditor Crit Luallen," Deborah Yetter writes for the Louisville newspaper. "The audit blasted Passport management for spending on meals, travel and lobbying, and it questioned the transfer of about $30 million in reserve funds to University Hospital and other physician groups and hospitals involved in Passport operations." (Read more)
Ruling in a lawsuit filed by The Courier-Journal, Jefferson Circuit Judge Susan Schultz Gibson wrote, "Since Passport exists for the purpose of administering the Medicaid program on behalf of the Commonwealth, the sought records all appear to relate to Passport?s state-related operations."
Passport, which can appeal the ruling, declined to comment. A consortium of Louisville-area hospitals, physicians and other health care providers, it serves about 165,000 poor and disabled Medicaid patients in 16 counties in the Louisville region under a $740 million annual contract. The state administers the program but most of its money comes from the federal government.
"While it has been praised by lawmakers for providing good care and saving the state money, it came under fire last year after a critical audit by state Auditor Crit Luallen," Deborah Yetter writes for the Louisville newspaper. "The audit blasted Passport management for spending on meals, travel and lobbying, and it questioned the transfer of about $30 million in reserve funds to University Hospital and other physician groups and hospitals involved in Passport operations." (Read more)
- Significant Management Improvements At Passport Health Plan, Audit Finds
Passport Health Plan has improved significantly since a 2010 audit uncovered wasteful spending and other problems, a new audit has concluded. The managed care organization that cares for Medicaid recipients in Jefferson and 15 surrounding counties "has...
- Passport To Lose Exclusive Contract For Louisville-area Medicaid At End Of 2012; More Choice Needed, Federal Agency Says
The exclusive contract the state has with Passport Health Plan, which provides Medicaid coverage for 170,000 people in Jefferson and 16 neighboring counties, has been extended until the end of next year. But after that, the state must adopt a different...
- State Senator Says U Of L Doctors Used Medicaid Funds To Pay Themselves $4.8 Million In Bonuses, Seeks More Oversight
State Sen. Tim Shaughnessy has questioned a $30 million transfer of surplus Medicaid funds to Passport Health Plan board members in 2008 and 2009. Shaughnessy, a Louisville Democrat, says doctors at the University of Louisville medical school paid bonuses...
- U Of L Physicians' Group Drops Open-records Appeal, But C-j May Still Not Get Records
An organization representing University of Louisville doctors who were trying to keep their financial records private dropped its lawsuit appealing an adverse open-records decision Tuesday. In April, Attorney General Jack Conway ruled that University...
- U Of L Physician Groups Tied To Passport Health Plan Must Release Salary And Expense Records, Attorney General Rules
Two groups representing University of Louisville's faculty physicians have been deemed public agencies and are subject to open records laws, Kentucky Attorney General Jack Conway has ruled. The groups therefore violated the Kentucky Open Records Act...