What They Are Saying: John Bel Edwards’ Scandal-Plagued Medicaid Contract Awards Could Be “Achilles Heel” In Reelection

Bipartisan Agreement: Potential Edwards “Conflict Of Interest” Could “Disrupt” Health Care Coverage For Thousands Of Louisianans

Edwards Administration’s Potential “Bias” Causes “Election-Year Headache”

Associated Press Headline: “Medicaid Contracts Are An Election-Year Headache For John Bel Edwards”

• Alleged “Bias” And “Conflicts Of Interest” Have Created A Cloud Over Louisiana’s Medicaid Contracts. “Gov. John Bel Edwards promotes his Medicaid expansion program as a central reelection selling point, but the contracts that provide those health services are becoming an unwanted election-year complication that could mess up his story line. Losing bidders for the next round of multibillion-dollar contracts to manage health services for Medicaid patients are accusing the Edwards administration of bias and conflicts of interest.” (Melinda Deslatte, “Louisiana Spotlight: Medicaid Contracts Are An Election-Year Headache For John Bel Edwards,” Associated Press, 8/25/19)

Associated Press: “More Than A Half-Million Medicaid Recipients Will Have To Transfer To New Health Plans” (“Losing Bidders For Louisiana Medicaid Contracts File Protest,” Associated Press, 8/20/19)

The Advocate Capitol Bureau Editor Mark Ballard: Medicaid Controversy Could Be John Bel Edwards’ “Achilles Heel.” “Apart from half a million people having to find new policies by Dec. 31, if the decision stands, the imbroglio could also prove to be the Achilles heel in the reelection bid of Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.” (Mark Ballard, “The Story Of A Complex Contract Dispute Flying Under The Radar In Louisiana,” The Advocate, 8/24/19)

Republicans And Democrats Agree, Express Concern Over “Hundreds Of Job Losses,” “Disruption In Care For Thousands”

Democrat Congressman Cedric Richmond (LA-2) “Raise[ed] Concerns” And Questioned The Edwards Administration’s Contracting Decisions.” “Gov. John Bel Edwards is facing questions about his administration’s multibillion-dollar Medicaid contracting decisions from a fellow Democrat, U.S. Rep. Cedric Richmond. Richmond sent a letter to the governor Friday, raising concerns that the administration’s new Medicaid managed care contract awards leave out the largest current contractor in the program, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, known as LHCC.” (Melinda Deslatte, “Louisiana Congressman Questions Medicaid Contract Awards,” Associated Press, 8/9/19)

• Congressman Richmond “Worries” That The Decisions Made By The Edwards Administration Could Cost Hundreds Of Jobs And Cause Thousands To Lose Health Coverage. “The congressman, who represents a New Orleans-based district that stretches into Baton Rouge, said he worries about hundreds of job losses in his district and disruption in care for thousands of Medicaid patients who will have to move to new health plans.” (Melinda Deslatte, “Louisiana Congressman Questions Medicaid Contract Awards,” Associated Press, 8/9/19)

State Senator Conrad Appel: “What appears perhaps to have been a political move by the governor may backfire on us and has the potential to stop the entire [Managed Care Organization] selection process and lock us in litigation for a very long time.” (Twitter, 8/19/19)

State Representative Cameron Henry: “The greater concern is you’ll have roughly 400,000 to 500,000 people who may have to find a new doctor, assuming their current physician is not in one of those MCO plans… That’s going to be the scariest part for all these individuals.” (Sam Karlin, “As Medicaid Contracts Draw Scrutiny, Gov. John Bel Edwards’ Administration Defends Move,” The Advocate, 8/9/19)