Cabinet For Health And Family Services Held In Contempt

{Lexington, Kentucky}...U.S. Senior Judge Karl S. Forester said Monday he would consider possible sanctions for the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services at a later date. Forester said the cabinet failed to comply with a May court order allowing transfers from Coventry Cares, which wants to sever its contract with Appalachian Regional Healthcare. ARH, which has eight hospitals in eastern Kentucky, has claimed the cabinet has hindered transfers of thousands of patients who want to switch to WellCare of Kentucky, which still has a contract with ARH. Monday’s contempt charge reprimands the cabinet for not processing those requests fast enough, but still requires patients to remain with their current Medicaid companies until a new open enrollment period takes effect. In Forester's order Monday, he said approximately 6,000 transfer requests were being held by the Cabinet. Forester's order said the Cabinet will not be required to complete those requests at this time, but it is ordered to proceed promptly with an open enrollment period to all Kentucky Medicaid beneficiaries between August 20th and October 19th.