Kenny Colston

The CEO of a major Medicaid managed care company (MCO) is criticizing Kentucky for the way the state deals with businesses like his.

Michael Neidorff is the CEO of Centene, which operates Kentucky Spirit, one of three statewide MCOs that has managed Medicaid patients for the state since last year.

In a recent call with Wall Street investors, Neidorff criticized Kentucky officials and the mindset they have about what managed care can do for the state.

A progressive economic group says Kentucky should expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act based on recently release Census data.

The Kentucky Center for Economic Policy points to data that shows the percentage of Kentuckians without insurance dropped last year based on early elements of the health care law.

The drop was mainly attributed to a large number of young adults who are staying on their parents’ insurance thanks to one of the law’s provision.

Kentucky’s House Republicans have unveiled the agenda they will pursue if the party wins a majority of the chamber this fall.

The GOP has focused its attention this year on unseating Democrats in the state House. To help that effort, House Republicans have promised to address fiscal issues, taxes and government reform if elected.

Republican leader Jeff Hoover says, among other issues, the GOP will require that every bill be read before a vote.

A second legislative hearing on Kentucky’s federally-mandated health insurance exchange led to a dramatic walkout by Democrats today.

For the second consecutive time, the interim joint Health and Welfare committee saw their meeting devolve into arguments over the exchange.

And this time, a motion by Republicans to register a vote of disapproval against the exchange led every Democrat to get up and leave in the middle of the meeting.

Governor Steve Beshear has named the members of the state health insurance exchange board.

The now-19 member board includes top level officials from Kentucky's major insurers, including Anthem, Humana and Bluegrass Family Health.

It also includes represents from the state’s major hospitals, including Central Baptist in Lexington and KentuckyOne Health, which operates statewide.

Patient advocate groups, including Kentucky Voices for Health, AARP and Kentucky Youth Advocates, also have seats on the board.

A Republican group tasked with winning state-level races across the U.S. has its sights set on Kentucky.

The Republican State Leadership Committee is an independent Republican political action committee that has established itself as a major factor in state legislative races.

The group has been involved in Kentucky legislative races off and on for several years. But with House Republicans making a strong push to win Kentucky’s lower chamber, the committee is once again taking a long look at the Commonwealth.

A newly-formed political action committee is hoping to influence school board races across the commonwealth, embarking on territory usually dominated by teachers unions.

For decades, education policy and school board races across the commonwealth have been aided solely by teachers unions giving campaign donations through political action committees.

But a new group has just been formed to combat that influence on school board races. The Bluegrass Fund was created last week by Louisville develop David Nicklies, according to statements filed with the IRS.

A Democratic super PAC that was active in last year’s governor’s race is taking part in legislative races this fall.  The Kentucky Family Values super PAC was started to help Governor Steve Beshear win re-election. The group has now re-formed under new leadership to influence state House races. 

“I hope we’re going to be successful and that is, elect enough family values oriented Democrats in the state House for the Democrats to retain control,” PAC chairman and retired Louisville lawyer Kevin Hable told Kentucky Public Radio in a phone interview.

A whistleblower and former member of the Kentucky Retirement System’s board of trustees is disputing claims that the pension plan hasn’t used placement agents recently.

Chris Tobe is an investment expert who served on the system’s board for four years. He’s also the main witness in a Securities and Exchange Commissions investigation into KRS and its previous uses of placement agents.

After being heavily criticized for their use, Kentucky’s major pension program says it hasn't used a placement agent for three years.

Placement agents are investing middle men that direct pension funds to investment opportunities. Kentucky has not had a good track record with placement agents, who have been accused of mismanaging millions for the pension funds according to a 2011 audit.