In an exchange with the Ohio Capital Journal, Centene doubled down that the settlement between its subsidiary, Buckeye Health Plan, and the state of Ohio was not a "finding or admission of wrongdoing."
The comments involve a March lawsuit against Buckeye Health Plan that alleged it misrepresented pharmacy costs, resulting in millions of dollars of overpayments. Centene later settled with the state, then renegotiated its contract to secure Buckeye Health Plan as a Medicaid managed care organization.
Centene's response to an Ohio Capital Journal article made clear that the insurer was not "forced" into paying a settlement, according to an Aug. 25 article.
The settlement was a no-fault one, the insurer said, not warranting an apology as there was no wrongdoing.