2 ex-Medicaid leaders now at company overpaid $10M | News

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Two leaders of South Carolina's Medicaid agency took jobs with a company who overpaid by $10 million months before the problem was discovered.

State Department of Health and Human Services Director Tony Keck says he doesn't think there was anything improper in them taking the job. But he says it can create an appearance problem.

South Carolina is negotiating how much of the $10 million should be paid back by Community Health Solutions of St. Petersburg, Fla. Dale Schmidt is the company's chief executive officer. He is challenging the overpayment claim.

The workers both left the agency in January. Keck reported the overpayment two weeks ago.

A former deputy director says both she and the other worker signed off on payments to Community Health, but neither determined the amounts.