Centene to pay at least $10 million to settle Ohio suit over double-billing Medicaid on drugs – By Darrel Rowland (The Columbus Dispatch) / June 14 2021
America’s 24th-largest corporation Centene has agreed to pay Ohio at least $10 million to settle a lawsuit accusing the health-care giant of making off with millions of dollars meant to help the state’s most vulnerable residents, The Dispatch has learned.
The unusually rapid surrender by Centene on a lawsuit filed barely three months ago shows the stakes to even a $111 billion company with about 70,000 employees of Ohio’s hardline action — especially a freeze on the St. Louis-based outfit’s participation in a $20 billion contract to provide managed care services to 3.2 million Medicaid recipients.
The deal is expected to be announced Monday morning at a press conference by Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.
Centene is the subject of similar investigations in other states. Authorities in Arkansas, Georgia, Kansas, Mississippi, New Mexico and several other states are looking into filing legal action against the conglomerate. America’s largest managed-care provider provides services to some 25 million across the country.
