FLA. 1ST DCACourt order
Florida appeals court expunges Hope Florida grand jury report, finding Centene settlement lawful and its release improper
Florida's First District Court of Appeal on October 7 ordered expunged a Leon County grand jury report that found $10 million from a Medicaid settlement with Centene was misappropriated. The 19-page ruling held the settlement lawful because no civil action had been filed, found the money paid to the Hope Florida Foundation was not diverted, and faulted State Attorney Jack Campbell for distributing the report before those named could seek to suppress it.
Order (WGCU (News Service of Florida)) → · NBC 6 South Florida
Key points
- The report, which indicted no one, had already leaked and been widely reported.WGCU (News Service of Florida)NBC 6 South Florida
- Centene paid $57 million to the state and $10 million to the Hope Florida Foundation to resolve alleged overpayments.WGCU (News Service of Florida)NBC 6 South Florida
- The foundation's $10 million went via two nonprofits to a political committee then led by James Uthmeier, now attorney general.WGCU (News Service of Florida)NBC 6 South Florida
- The court said the violation was disclosure of a confidential document before the named individuals could be heard.WGCU (News Service of Florida)NBC 6 South Florida
- Judge Lance Neff, appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in March, wrote the ruling.WGCU (News Service of Florida)NBC 6 South Florida
Sources2 articles across 2 outlets
NBC 6 South Florida
WGCU (News Service of Florida)