Author

Samantha Young

Samantha Young

Samantha Young is a senior correspondent with Kaiser Health News and an award-winning journalist with 25 years of experience who covers health care politics and policy in California, focusing on government accountability and industry influence. As a former reporter for The Associated Press, Samantha covered the California legislature and the Schwarzenegger administration, statewide political campaigns and the state’s groundbreaking climate change law. She spent seven years in Washington, D.C., where she covered Congress and the federal government for newspapers in the Stephens Media Group. She is graduate of the University of Missouri-Columbia journalism school.

Centene showers politicians with millions as it courts contracts, settles overbilling allegations

By: , and - November 4, 2022

This story was originally published by Kaiser Health News.  On Nov. 2, 2021, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak’s reelection campaign received 10 separate $10,000 contributions from what appeared to be unrelated health insurance plans from across the country. The Buckeye Community Health Plan of Ohio, Louisiana Healthcare Connections, and Peach State Health Plan of Georgia were […]

Centene agrees to pay Massachusetts $14 million over Medicaid prescription claims

By: and - September 29, 2022

Massachusetts has become the latest state to settle with health insurance giant Centene Corp. over allegations that it overbilled the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services, KHN has learned. St. Louis-based Centene, the nation’s largest Medicaid managed-care insurer, will pay $14.2 million, according to Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey. An official announcement is expected later […]

Centene to pay $166 million to Texas in Medicaid drug pricing settlement

By: and - September 19, 2022

Health insurance giant Centene Corp. has agreed to pay $165.6 million to Texas to resolve claims that it overcharged the state’s Medicaid program for pharmacy services. It’s the biggest known payout by the nation’s largest Medicaid insurer over its drug pricing practices. The deal was signed July 11 but hadn’t been publicly announced until Monday […]