Health News
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 made significant improvements in accountability and financial record-keeping," a press release from Audrey Tayse Haynes, the new secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. "Patient satisfaction with the health care provider remains high," she states.
"The audit is a follow-up to former State Auditor Crit Luallen's scathing report of November 2010 in which Luallen found lavish spending by Passport's former executives on travel, meals and other expenses," reports Tom Loftus for The Courier-Journal. "It also questioned transfers of about $30 million of reserve funds to the major health-care organizations represented on Passport's board of directors."
Gov. Steve Beshear ordered a plan to correct the problem, which involved replacing Passport's executives, among other changes. Though there has been improvement, "after having exclusive rights to the region for about 14 years, Passport will have to bid against other managed care organizations if it wants to be among those that will serve it in 2013," Loftus reports.
Still, since the state has switched to managed care for the rest of the state and severe problems have surfaced with the three companies that have been hired to serve those recipients, Passport's reputation has improved substantially. State Auditor Adam Edelen said in February the state was unprepared for the quick transition to managed care in the rest of the state. (Read more)
- Medicaid Manager Passport Gives $25,000 To Democratic Group That Has Given Heavily To Committee Backing Conway For Governor
Passport Health Plan, which manages Medicaid care for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians, gave $25,000 this year to the Democratic Governors Association, "which already this year has given $600,000 to a Democratic super PAC supporting the election of...
- Passport Health Claims State Violated Bidding Process And Will Make Medicaid Overpayments In Jefferson County As A Result
Passport Health Plan has charged that the state of Kentucky has violated its own bidding process and will spend as much as $80 million more than necessary per year under its new Medicaid managed-care contracts for the Jefferson County region. Tom Loftus...
- 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...
- Passport Health Plan Drops Secrecy As Managed Care Expands
Passport Health Plan, the managed-care organization for Medicaid in the Louisville area, announced today that it would no longer fight to keep its records secret, deciding not to appeal a ruling by Attorney General Jack Conway that it had to give records...
- 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...
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 made significant improvements in accountability and financial record-keeping," a press release from Audrey Tayse Haynes, the new secretary of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services. "Patient satisfaction with the health care provider remains high," she states.
"The audit is a follow-up to former State Auditor Crit Luallen's scathing report of November 2010 in which Luallen found lavish spending by Passport's former executives on travel, meals and other expenses," reports Tom Loftus for The Courier-Journal. "It also questioned transfers of about $30 million of reserve funds to the major health-care organizations represented on Passport's board of directors."
Gov. Steve Beshear ordered a plan to correct the problem, which involved replacing Passport's executives, among other changes. Though there has been improvement, "after having exclusive rights to the region for about 14 years, Passport will have to bid against other managed care organizations if it wants to be among those that will serve it in 2013," Loftus reports.
Still, since the state has switched to managed care for the rest of the state and severe problems have surfaced with the three companies that have been hired to serve those recipients, Passport's reputation has improved substantially. State Auditor Adam Edelen said in February the state was unprepared for the quick transition to managed care in the rest of the state. (Read more)
- Medicaid Manager Passport Gives $25,000 To Democratic Group That Has Given Heavily To Committee Backing Conway For Governor
Passport Health Plan, which manages Medicaid care for hundreds of thousands of Kentuckians, gave $25,000 this year to the Democratic Governors Association, "which already this year has given $600,000 to a Democratic super PAC supporting the election of...
- Passport Health Claims State Violated Bidding Process And Will Make Medicaid Overpayments In Jefferson County As A Result
Passport Health Plan has charged that the state of Kentucky has violated its own bidding process and will spend as much as $80 million more than necessary per year under its new Medicaid managed-care contracts for the Jefferson County region. Tom Loftus...
- 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...
- Passport Health Plan Drops Secrecy As Managed Care Expands
Passport Health Plan, the managed-care organization for Medicaid in the Louisville area, announced today that it would no longer fight to keep its records secret, deciding not to appeal a ruling by Attorney General Jack Conway that it had to give records...
- 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...