By Brenna Angel
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Kentucky House Speaker Stumbo says the questionable spending by Passport Health Plan could have been prevented or caught early on if the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services had been properly reviewing its contract with the Louisville company.
Speaking at a meeting of the task force on Medicaid cost containment Tuesday, Stumbo urged the cabinet to recover any misused funds.
"The Cabinet, for whatever reason, didn't diligently and has not historically diligently overseen the performance of this contract and entered into the type of oversight functions that the contract clearly gives them the power to do."
A report issued by state auditor Crit Luallen last week found that Passport, which manages health care services in 16 Kentucky counties, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on lobbying, public relations, travel, entertainment, and sponsorships.
A spokesperson for the Cabinet for Health and Family Services told the Herald Leader that officials are seeking repayment for improperly spent tax payer dollars.