United Protesting Yet Another Contract Award–State of Georgia Where They Claim “It Was Rigged”…

Here we go again and there sure seems to be quite a few of these contract stories in the news of late.  You know folks might be afraid to ask the company to bid?  The contract was awarded to Blue Cross, which by the way seems to be the competition where United seems to be protesting.  We all remember United sued the DOD to get the west coast Tri-Care contract a short while back and we have never heard as to why and what the outcome was other than DOD gave United the contract. 

Update: UnitedHealthcare Sues Department of Defense Over Tri-Care Contracts–They Said They Would Do This – Is This A Case Of My Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?

A couple weeks ago, they filed suit against the City of Birmingham.

United Healthcare Files Lawsuit Against the City of Birmingham Disputing Contract Award To Blue Cross

Louisiana rejected the United protest 

State of Louisiana Rejects United Healthcare’s Protest Over Awarding Blue Cross/Blue Shield Contract To Manage State Employee Health Insurance–Battle of the Insurance Algorithms Continues..

This case was different but it’s a dispute between a government contractor and United for non payment of premiums..

United Healthcare Sues Government Contractor, Paragon for Unpaid Health Insurance Premiums

Last year a protest in Texas over a contract award where Blue Cross was protesting as the contract gave members literally no out of Network with United

Blue Cross Protesting Award of Texas Employee Retirement Health Plan to United Healthcare–Price Cut by $25 Million With Little or No Out of Network Coverage for Members

This was from last year as well in Nebraska…

Blue Cross and United Healthcare Duking It Out In Nebraska Over State Health Insurance Contract–We Have More Subsidiaries My Cost Algorithms Are Better Than Yours?

This is interesting as United Contracts are tested all the time and complaints arise and AAFP found out that United  by use of complex contracts was paying doctors less than Medicare in several states.  BD

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UnitedHealthcare has filed a strongly worded protest of the awarding of a state employees benefits contract, alleging that Georgia officials “rigged’’ the bid in favor of a competitor.

A letter from United and its attorneys at law firms Alston & Bird and McKenna, Long & Aldridge asks the Department of Community Health’s commissioner to review the award made to Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Georgia, which was formally announced Friday.

The attorneys’ letter, dated Monday, alleges the agency engaged in “state-sponsored bid-rigging.’’

Blue Cross was the single insurer selected to deliver health plan administration and medical management services to the more than 650,000 state employees, teachers, other school personnel, retirees and dependents in the State Health Benefit Plan.

United’s protest letter accuses the Department of Community Health (DCH) of engaging “in a biased, unfair, opaque, and uncompetitive process more like the ‘old Georgia’ of backroom deals and shady politics than a state government that, at least on the surface, claims to value free and open competition.

Separately, he said, United has filed a motion for a temporary restraining order and an injunction in Fulton County Superior Court.

http://www.georgiahealthnews.com/2013/08/united-claims-blue-cross-special-favors/