HHS and CMS have spoken to Illinois officials to discuss "serious issues" raised in a November report about Centene's foster care contract performance, the Chicago Sun-Times reported Jan. 13.
The scope of the federal inquiry is not clear but was confirmed by Illinois officials and a CMS spokesperson, according to the report.
Documents obtained by the Illinois Answers Project published in the Chicago Sun-Times in November showed just 22 percent of children received a health screening within 60 days of enrolling in YouthCare, the state's healthcare program for children in foster care, which Centene was contracted to manage. Illinois' Healthcare and Family Services Department sets this benchmark at 70 percent.
Officials with the two state agencies that oversee Centene's YouthCare contract said they were questioned by federal authorities but provided few details to the outlet, according to the report.
A spokesperson for Centene previously told the Sun-Times: "We have progressively improved our metrics. … We are committed to increasing access to care for our members."