What chapter are we on?

By Skip Cauthorn
February 25, 2005

TennCare officials said Thursday its dental administrator should not have held a contract with a company tied to state Sen. John Ford, whose relationship with the company is now being examined by the state Attorney General.

Doral Dental USA, which contracts with TennCare in operating the program’s dental component, shouldn’t have contracted with consultant Managed Care Services Group at a cost of more than $1.1 million since October of 2002, said TennCare spokesperson Michael Drescher.

Managed Care failed to disclose its ties to Ford, as required under the contract between Doral and TennCare, Drescher said.

“This was not a contract that anyone in state government was aware even existed,” Gov. Phil Bredesen said. “But what was going on there was not a good thing and it’s not consistent with good contracting on the part of TennCare.”

Ford (D-Memphis) reportedly received $237,000 in fees through Managed Care between 2002 and 2003.

Ford chairs the influential Senate General Welfare Committee, which plays a large role in setting TennCare policy.

Doral, which terminated its agreement with Managed Care earlier this month after learning of its alleged ties with Ford, appears to have drafted the contract with ties to an unnamed legislator in mind.

Included in valid reasons for termination of the contract by Doral was the phrase, “the death of the principal legislator affiliated with [Managed Care],” according to documents released by TennCare Thursday.