Chicago Trib Editorial: State moves to oust firm that's scrubbing Medicaid rolls

Rep. Patti Bellock believe Maximus
is doing exactly what lawmakers
hired them do to and questions
the need to cancel their work.

A private contractor hired by Illinois has excelled in removing from the state's Medicaid rolls people who didn't qualify for the benefit. The contractor, Virginia-based Maximus Health Services Inc., has recommended over the course of the year that the state scrub about 190,000 people from the Medicaid rolls. That saves money and helps to preserve the vital health coverage for lower-income residents.

Maximus' reward? Its caseworkers may be fired, its responsibilities scaled back.

Why? Because AFSCME, the state employees union, convinced an arbitrator this year that the state couldn't legally hire Maximus to do the job. The work should have been done by the state's union workforce, arbitrator Edwin Benn ruled. He set a Dec. 31 deadline for the state to fire Maximus and use state workers. Read the entire Chicago Tribune Editorial.

Other stories on the issue:

Despite ‘staggering’ success, Illinois drops Medicaid fraud finder

Bellock urges public hearing to discuss future of Medicaid program