State denies N-G request for records on insurance contract
URBANA -- Documents that may shed some light on the selection of health insurers for state employees and retirees are being kept private, at least for now.
The Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has declined to release documents requested by The News-Gazette under the Freedom of Information Act, stating that all the requested documents are exempt from public disclosure until after two protests filed by health insurers are resolved.
The agency sited an exclusion that states materials are exempt from public inspection if disclosing then would "frustrate procurement or give an advantage" to proposed contractors before a final selection has been made.
"Currently, there are two protests filed regarding the Self-Funded Open Access Plan Administration and the HMO Plan Administration procurements. As a consequence, final selections have not yet been made," the agency said.
Protests to the proposed health contract awards have been filed by Health Alliance Medical Plans and Humana, two insurers currently covering more than half of state employees and retirees in their HMO plans. Neither was selected to cover state members in the upcoming contract period starting July 1.
Health Alliance spokeswoman Jane Hayes said Tuesday the company hasn't been able to find out when its protest will be considered, but Healthcare and Family Services has until today to respond to Health Alliance's request for information on the proposed contracts.
The state has selected Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois to administer two HMO plans and HealthLink and PersonalCare to administer self-funded Open-Access Plans. Healthcare and Family Services says those selections would save the state more thabn $1 billion over the 10-year life of the contracts, but some downstate lawmakers and Health Alliance executives are dubious about the projected savings.
Among the materials requested by The News-Gazette were: all proposals submitted to provide health coverage to state members; all materials used to evaluate the proposals including scoring documents used in the bid evaluation process; all decision memos approving proposed contract awards; all recommendations submitted to the Executive Ethics Commission regarding the solicitation documents; all emails exchanged by state officials regarding the contracts; and any other information involved in the procurement and award process for the HMO and Open Access Plan contracts.
MoreMoreMore evidence of how totally useless this state's public records laws have become. Only in corrupt corners of government does public inspection of documents "frustrate procurement" of public business. If this was more than a Chicago money-grab they'd be willing to show us the savings in black and white.
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