Health News
Kentucky Spirit, a Medicaid managed-care provider, will terminate its contract with the state's Cabinet for Health and Family Services a year earlier than scheduled, effective July 5, 2013. The company serves approximately 140,000 Medicaid recipients in 104 Kentucky counties. According to the CFHS, Kentuckians enrolled in Kentucky Spirit coverage "will continue to receive health care with no interruptions, and the Cabinet will ensure a smooth transition for those patients to another managed care organization in the coming months."
Kentucky Spirit said in a statement Wednesday that it is committed to helping its clients it serves transfer to one of Kentucky's three other Medicaid contractors. In addition, the move will cut some 200 jobs in Lexington, representing $12 million a year in wages and benefits.
The Courier-Journal's Tom Loftus writes that Kentucky Spirit has been in months of discussions with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about its contract. The company also said it has filed a formal dispute with the cabinet for damages it has incurred throughout the process. Gov. Steve Beshear issued his own statement informing the company that the state "will hold this company accountable to its contractual commitments through whatever means necessary on behalf of both the members and the taxpayers.?
Overall, Kentucky?s transition to Medicaid managed care has not been smooth, explains the Lexington Herald-Leader's Beth Musgrave. Many doctors, hospitals and other providers have complained about late payments and cumbersome reimbursement processes; some of which have had to be resolved in court.
To see the Kentucky Spirit statement, go here.
- Kentucky Spirit Leaves The State; Cabinet Assigns Company's Clients To Other Medicaid Managed-care Firms
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News About 125,000 Medicaid patients in Kentucky have a new insurance company, with Saturday's departure of Kentucky Spirit from the state. The state Cabinet for Health and Family Services reassigned Kentucky Spirit's...
- Kentucky Spirit Still Plans To Leave State July 5; Judge Rules That State Can't Require Company To Stay For Two-month Transition
In the latest development in the saga of the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Medicaid managed-care firm Kentucky Spirit, the company appears to be the victor, at least for now, because a Franklin circuit judge this week that the state...
- Kentucky Spirit Appeals Court Ruling That It Can't Quit Kentucky Early
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News Centene Corp. announced Monday that it has appealed the Franklin Circuit Court ruling in May that said its managed care subsidiary, Kentucky Spirit, cannot terminate its contract...
- Kentucky Spirit Can't Terminate Its Medicaid Contract With The State A Year Early Without Facing Fines, Judge Rules
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A Frankfort circuit judge ruled Friday that Kentucky Spirit, one of three companies hired by the state in November 2011 to manage health care for more than 540,000 Medicaid recipients, cannot pull out of its contract...
- Medicaid Managed-care Firm Files Suit, Alleging The State's Rush Job Resulted In Unreliable Financial Information For Bidders
Medicaid managed-care company Kentucky Spirit alleges in a lawsuit filed Monday that Gov. Steve Beshear so hurriedly privatized the service last year that he gave incorrect cost information to the bidders. The company said it relied on the bad information...
Health News
Kentucky Spirit to terminate Medicaid contract with state early; Cabinet assures recipients no interruption in service
Kentucky Spirit, a Medicaid managed-care provider, will terminate its contract with the state's Cabinet for Health and Family Services a year earlier than scheduled, effective July 5, 2013. The company serves approximately 140,000 Medicaid recipients in 104 Kentucky counties. According to the CFHS, Kentuckians enrolled in Kentucky Spirit coverage "will continue to receive health care with no interruptions, and the Cabinet will ensure a smooth transition for those patients to another managed care organization in the coming months."
Kentucky Spirit said in a statement Wednesday that it is committed to helping its clients it serves transfer to one of Kentucky's three other Medicaid contractors. In addition, the move will cut some 200 jobs in Lexington, representing $12 million a year in wages and benefits.
The Courier-Journal's Tom Loftus writes that Kentucky Spirit has been in months of discussions with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services about its contract. The company also said it has filed a formal dispute with the cabinet for damages it has incurred throughout the process. Gov. Steve Beshear issued his own statement informing the company that the state "will hold this company accountable to its contractual commitments through whatever means necessary on behalf of both the members and the taxpayers.?
Overall, Kentucky?s transition to Medicaid managed care has not been smooth, explains the Lexington Herald-Leader's Beth Musgrave. Many doctors, hospitals and other providers have complained about late payments and cumbersome reimbursement processes; some of which have had to be resolved in court.
To see the Kentucky Spirit statement, go here.
- Kentucky Spirit Leaves The State; Cabinet Assigns Company's Clients To Other Medicaid Managed-care Firms
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News About 125,000 Medicaid patients in Kentucky have a new insurance company, with Saturday's departure of Kentucky Spirit from the state. The state Cabinet for Health and Family Services reassigned Kentucky Spirit's...
- Kentucky Spirit Still Plans To Leave State July 5; Judge Rules That State Can't Require Company To Stay For Two-month Transition
In the latest development in the saga of the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Medicaid managed-care firm Kentucky Spirit, the company appears to be the victor, at least for now, because a Franklin circuit judge this week that the state...
- Kentucky Spirit Appeals Court Ruling That It Can't Quit Kentucky Early
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News Centene Corp. announced Monday that it has appealed the Franklin Circuit Court ruling in May that said its managed care subsidiary, Kentucky Spirit, cannot terminate its contract...
- Kentucky Spirit Can't Terminate Its Medicaid Contract With The State A Year Early Without Facing Fines, Judge Rules
By Molly Burchett Kentucky Health News A Frankfort circuit judge ruled Friday that Kentucky Spirit, one of three companies hired by the state in November 2011 to manage health care for more than 540,000 Medicaid recipients, cannot pull out of its contract...
- Medicaid Managed-care Firm Files Suit, Alleging The State's Rush Job Resulted In Unreliable Financial Information For Bidders
Medicaid managed-care company Kentucky Spirit alleges in a lawsuit filed Monday that Gov. Steve Beshear so hurriedly privatized the service last year that he gave incorrect cost information to the bidders. The company said it relied on the bad information...