Back Door Deal, CNSI, feature, IL State Reps, Illinios HFS

CNSI - HFS - Medicaid Management, and House Bill 3683...

BY JOHN KRAFT & KIRK ALLEN

ON October 2, 2013

SPRINGFIELD, IL. (ECWd) -

After months of research and investigations into no-bid contracts, intergovernmental agreements with Michigan, and H1-B Visas, we have learned that the Illinois legislature is considering House Bill 3683 (Sandack) to close the loophole that allowed Illinois CMS to skirt the bidding process through an intergovernmental agreement with the state of Michigan. This Bill will limit the exemption in the Illinois Procurement Code for intergovernmental agreements to contracts valued at $250,000 or less.

In a memo dated October 1, 2013 and addressed to Illinois House Republican Members, we learned of hearing testimony given on September 17th in which HFS was explaining the impact of the IGA with Michigan, claiming the Michigan system was already certified and "free from defects". The claim was also made that a savings of $155 million would be realized with this agreement ($15.5 million from Illinois' match). *I should note here that HFS has not provided us with any official planing documents or cost-benefit analysis to support these claims.

When CNSI's track record in other states was questioned, CNSI representatives testified that media reports had been inaccurate, and that there is litigation going on in Louisiana, as CNSI is sing them for terminating their contract.

What is amazing with CNSI's claim, is that they have yet to comment on one item we have reported that exposes this whole mess. A broad stroke statement that "media reports" had been inaccurate should have been smacked back to them with a laundry list of issues we have proven in our reporting, but sadly that didn't happen.