I've seen several times where people keep claiming fraud due to covid is not a big issue. Took this from a friend.
KanCare MCO profits during the pandemic:
Take a look at the profit/loss statements from the KanCare Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) for the quarter April to June, for 2019 and 2020.
During the lockdown, the MCOs were automatically paid by the state every month, but since people with disabilities were not getting as many services, the MCOs now want to keep the extra as profit. It's about $60 million more than what they made last year during the same timeframe. They also claimed higher expenses for all their administrative work, even though they have said themselves that they relied on the state agencies and community-based organizations to respond to the needs of consumers and families while everyone was dealing with COVID.
Throughout the pandemic, the MCO lobbyists fought hard to keep from making payments to help retain Direct Support Staff who were suddenly out of work or lost hours. More recently, they have been fighting to keep from paying for in-home supports for children with disabilities - who are trying to attend virtual school right now. It's not because they can't pay, they simply say they don't have to.
What this report illustrates well is the basic problem with KanCare as it was designed by the Brownback/Colyer administration. The MCOs have a huge incentive to find every way they can to keep from paying for needed services. These quarterly reports, with their limited amount of data, are really the only way we have of knowing how much is being taken as profit. These WERE all public dollars that were appropriated for Kansans with disabilities, children & seniors to get the supports they need, but they are company profits now.
KanCare MCO profits during the pandemic:
Take a look at the profit/loss statements from the KanCare Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) for the quarter April to June, for 2019 and 2020.
During the lockdown, the MCOs were automatically paid by the state every month, but since people with disabilities were not getting as many services, the MCOs now want to keep the extra as profit. It's about $60 million more than what they made last year during the same timeframe. They also claimed higher expenses for all their administrative work, even though they have said themselves that they relied on the state agencies and community-based organizations to respond to the needs of consumers and families while everyone was dealing with COVID.
Throughout the pandemic, the MCO lobbyists fought hard to keep from making payments to help retain Direct Support Staff who were suddenly out of work or lost hours. More recently, they have been fighting to keep from paying for in-home supports for children with disabilities - who are trying to attend virtual school right now. It's not because they can't pay, they simply say they don't have to.
What this report illustrates well is the basic problem with KanCare as it was designed by the Brownback/Colyer administration. The MCOs have a huge incentive to find every way they can to keep from paying for needed services. These quarterly reports, with their limited amount of data, are really the only way we have of knowing how much is being taken as profit. These WERE all public dollars that were appropriated for Kansans with disabilities, children & seniors to get the supports they need, but they are company profits now.
