The Kern County Board of Supervisors is at it again. This time, supervisors are withholding information from an audit of Kern County Employee healthcare benefits. The Segal Report is about (or so we’ve heard) how county employees’ dollars are being spent and the report may also identify conflict of interest issues uncovered by the auditors.
Given SEIU 521 members are obligated to pay a percentage of the cost of their healthcare plan, the information in the Segal report is critical.
Members are also concerned about recent allegations of patient steering, where patients were moved to Dignity Health hospitals. Dignity Health owns a controlling interest in GEMCare which owns Managed Care Systems, the health plan provider. Our health plan provider is negotiating payment rates with itself.
The Kern County Board of Supervisors, three of whom will be stepping down in January, has so far refused to explain why the county is not making the Segal Report public.
Read media coverage:
Insurance plan: 1st: heal thyself. Next: pay thyself – By The Bakersfield Californian – July 14, 2012
County health mess gets curiouser and curiouser – By Lois Henry – July 28, 2012
It’s scary enough in the hospital without this – By Lois Henry – August 4, 2012
Court reporters may be an endangered species – By Lois Henry – August 19, 2012
