By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-939784.mp3
FRANKFORT, Ky. -- – Gov. Steve Beshear is expecting a response today from Passport Health Plan officials in Louisville to an 11-point corrective action plan ordered by the state. Beshear says the state's not trying to run the company, just trying to make sure it lives up to its contractual obligations to taxpayers.
"You know when you have a company whose management got out and spent taxpayer money that's supposed to be spent on Medicaid services for people - instead on lobbyists, and on limousines, and resorts, and airplane flights and going to great meetings at great locations, I'm called upon to do something and I'm going to do it."
A recent state audit found wasteful spending and conflicts of interest in the $800-million contract, the state's largest. Last week, Passport officials fired two top executives and accepted the resignation of board chairman Larry Cook. Passport provides health services to $164,000 Medicaid recipients in 16 Louisville-area counties.