Dave Feinwachs

Apr 25, 2012

Congressional panel: state’s failed HMO oversight “stunning,” could mean more debt to feds

A pair of congressional subcommittees convened Wednesday morning's hearing on Capitol Hill to investigate state handling of Medicaid dollars. While Minnesota was not the specific focus, its handling of managed care contracts with HMOs and in particular the $30 million returned from UCare last year received intense scrutiny.

Feb 28, 2012

Bill requiring independent audits of health plans passes HHS committee

Minnesota's health maintenance organizations would be subject to annual, independent financial audits under a bill that cleeared the House Health and Human Services Reform Committee on Tuesday. The proposal, sponsored by GOP Rep. Steve Gottwalt and DFL Rep. Carolyn Laine, cleared the committee on a voice vote.

Feb 22, 2012

Feds’ Medicaid investigation: Many questions, few answers

Department of Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson set off a potential landmine last week when she revealed that the federal government is investigating the state’s Medicaid program. Roughly 600,000 poor people receive medical coverage through the program with the state and federal government splitting the $7B tab.

Nov 25, 2011

Critics question merits of HMO bidding process

Department of Human Services claims it saved $175 million through competitive bidding for state-funded insurance programs.

Jun 29, 2011

HMO critics continue to push for changes

There was no shortage of attorneys in Ramsey County District Judge John Van de North’s courtroom on a recent Wednesday morning. At least eight lawyers — representing seven interested parties — crowded the 14th-floor chamber.

Mar 4, 2011

One budget target emerges: HMOs

Since the beginning of February, at least 11 bills have been introduced with the purpose of providing greater accountability or reducing payments to the state's health maintenance organizations. Currently, the state's nonprofit health plans receive roughly $3 billion annually to provide coverage to more than 500,000 of the state's poorest residents.

Feb 23, 2011

HMO reform turns into a bandwagon

On Feb. 8, health care providers, lobbyists and other interested parties packed a meeting of the House Health and Human Services Finance Committee to overflowing. The occasion was an informational hearing on the seemingly mundane topic of health maintenance organization accountability, and the chief reason for the standing-room-only crowd was the appearance of Dave Feinwachs, the former Minnesota [...]

Feb 9, 2011

HMO critic Feinwachs sues health plans for defamation

Dave Feinwachs, former general counsel for the Minnesota Hospital Association, has filed a defamation lawsuit in Ramsey County District Court against the Minnesota Council of Health Plans. The suit alleges that the nonprofit health plans waged a campaign to discredit him in retaliation for his criticism of their business practices.

Feb 7, 2011

Video: Feinwachs on lack of HMO transparency

The plight of Dave Feinwachs and his crusade to bring greater accountability to health-maintenance organizations is the subject of a lengthy piece in Monday's edition of Capitol Report. The former general counsel of the Minnesota Hospitals Association, who was fired in November, has been giving his power-point presentation ever since to anyone who will listen.