Rauner vetoes Medicaid purchase plan as duplicative

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Gov. Bruce Rauner has vetoed legislation that would require a more rigorous competitive search for managed-care organizations to administer health care for the Medicaid population.

The Republican governor said in a veto message Friday that his administration did conduct a five-month “competitive, transparent process.”

Rauner plans to shift hundreds of thousands of Medicaid patients to managed-care organizations. The Democratic comptroller’s office says they will cost $27 billion through 2021.

Democrats say the contracts should be put through the stiffer Illinois Procurement Code process.

Rauner says the legislation would require duplicative measures and would prevent nearly $1 billion in health care cost-savings.

Sen. Dave Koehler (KAY’-lur) is the Peoria Democrat who sponsored the measure. He says he plans to attempt an override.