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Washington –
Senator
Tim
Scott
joined
fellow
Health,
Education,
Labor
and
Pension
Committee
members
to
send
a
letter
to
U.S.
Secretary
of
Health
and
Human
Services
(HHS)
Kathleen
Sebelius,
calling
for
the
agency
to
investigate
the
recent
news
report
that
California
may
be
concealing
details
of
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars
to
establish
and
run
its
Affordable
Care
Act
health
insurance
exchange,
as
well
as
“whether any
other
states
are
concealing
the
details
of
exchange
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars.”
The
Senators
wrote:
“As
members
of
the
U.S.
Senate
Committee
on
Health,
Education,
Labor,
and
Pensions
(HELP),
we
write
to
call
your
attention
to
a
recent
news
report
that
California
may
be
concealing
the
details
of
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars
to
establish
and
run
its
Affordable
Care
Act
health
insurance
exchange.
Specifically,
the
May
9,
2013, Associated
Press story
entitled
‘Calif.
exchange
granted
secrecy’ states
that
California
may
‘keep
all
contracts
private
for
a
year
and
the
amounts
paid
secret
indefinitely.’
We
see
no
reason
why
a
state
that
has
been
awarded
nearly
$910
million
in
federal
taxpayer
dollars
should
not
disclose
how
that
money
is
being
spent
once
a
contract
is
finalized.”
They
added:
“The
President
said
on
January
20,
2009,
that
his
administration
will
‘ensure
the
public
trust
and
establish
a
system
of
transparency,
public
participation
and
collaboration.’
In
accordance
with
the
President’s
pledge
that
his
administration
would
be
the
most
open
and
transparent
in
history,
we
would
appreciate
your
agency
investigating
this
matter,
including
whether
any
other
states
are
concealing
the
details
of
exchange
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars,
and
updating
the
HELP
Committee.”
The
full
text
of
the
letter
is
below:
June
5,
2013
The
Honorable
Kathleen
Sebelius
Secretary
U.S.
Department
of
Health
and
Human
Services
200
Independence
Avenue,
SW
Washington,
DC
20201
Dear
Madam
Secretary:
As
members
of
the
U.S.
Senate
Committee
on
Health,
Education,
Labor,
and
Pensions
(HELP),
we
write
to
call
your
attention
to
a
recent
news
report
that
California
may
be
concealing
the
details
of
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars
to
establish
and
run
its
Affordable
Care
Act
health
insurance
exchange.
Specifically,
the
May
9,
2013, Associated
Press story
entitled
“Calif.
exchange
granted
secrecy” states
that
California
may
“keep
all
contracts
private
for
a
year
and
the
amounts
paid
secret
indefinitely.”
We
see
no
reason
why
a
state
that
has
been
awarded
nearly
$910
million
in
federal
taxpayer
dollars
should
not
disclose
how
that
money
is
being
spent
once
a
contract
is
finalized.
The
President
said
on
January
20,
2009,
that
his
administration
will
“ensure
the
public
trust
and
establish
a
system
of
transparency,
public
participation
and
collaboration.”
In
accordance
with
the
President’s
pledge
that
his
administration
would
be
the
most
open
and
transparent
in
history,
we
would
appreciate
your
agency
investigating
this
matter,
including
whether
any
other
states
are
concealing
the
details
of
exchange
contracts
awarded
using
federal
dollars,
and
updating
the
HELP
Committee.
Thank
you
for
your
time
and
consideration
of
this
matter.
Sincerely,
_____________________________
_____________________________
Lamar
Alexander
Richard
Burr
United
States
Senator
United
States
Senator
_____________________________
_____________________________
Johnny
Isakson
Pat
Roberts
United
States
Senator
United
States
Senator
_____________________________
Tim
Scott
United
States
Senator
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