Georgia’s Medicaid contract battle has taken a shocking turn as evidence emerges that left-wing bureaucrats secretly injected transgender care questions into the bidding process. The controversial move, which appears to directly contradict Governor Brian Kemp’s conservative policies, may have tipped the scales in awarding contracts worth billions of taxpayer dollars.
At a Glance
- Georgia’s $4.5 billion Medicaid contract bidding process was secretly modified to include questions about transgender care for children
- Senior career staffers and McKinsey consultants added these questions despite Governor Kemp’s policies against gender surgeries for minors
- Companies promising to refer transgender children to clinics for hormone therapy scored higher and won contracts
- Four new insurers won contracts, displacing long-standing providers Amerigroup and Peach State Health Plan
- The changes could disrupt healthcare for over 1 million Georgia Medicaid recipients
Liberal Bureaucrats Hijack Contract Process Behind Governor’s Back
A high-stakes battle is unfolding in Georgia over who will manage healthcare for approximately 2 million Medicaid recipients, with the Department of Community Health awarding new contracts to four insurers while excluding long-standing providers. But the procurement process has been marred by controversy after revelations that unelected bureaucrats inserted politically charged questions about transgender healthcare that appear to directly contradict Governor Brian Kemp’s conservative policies.
According to documents reviewed by the Washington Free Beacon, senior career staffers and McKinsey consultants modified the bidding process in 2023 to include a question about care for a hypothetical transgender child – despite Governor Kemp having signed legislation banning gender surgeries and hormone therapies for minors. These modifications allowed insurers who supported left-wing priorities to score higher and ultimately win portions of the lucrative contract.
Politically Motivated Scoring System Favored Liberal Companies
The contract review panel implementing these changes used a point-based system where the transgender question was worth 10 points and another diversity-focused question was worth 15 points. With winners and losers separated by razor-thin margins, these politically charged questions appear to have determined the outcome of billions in taxpayer spending.
“Transgender needs are complex. Supplier did not offer any programming to meet member needs regarding transgender/LGBT. Case worker did not leverage appropriate cultural and sensitivity training to understand members pronouns etc.,” wrote Peter D’Alba, one of the reviewers, in his evaluation of a losing bidder.
In contrast, winning bidders who promised to connect transgender-identifying children with hormone therapy clinics received glowing reviews. D’Alba praised one winner for their “excellent assessment done to address future hormone use” – a disturbing endorsement given Governor Kemp’s position against such treatments for minors.
Massive Disruption Expected for Vulnerable Georgians
The politically-driven contract changes don’t just undermine conservative values – they threaten to create healthcare chaos for over a million Georgians. The state plans to spend about $4.5 billion on Medicaid and PeachCare in the next year, with federal contributions adding billions more, making this one of the largest government contracts in Georgia history.
“This is absolutely a big deal. These could be the largest contracts in Georgia, and they have a huge effect on Georgia’s children. The stakes couldn’t be higher,” said Roland Behm, an advocate for better mental health coverage.
Peach State Health Plan, one of the displaced insurers, has warned that “Georgia has never experienced disruption of this magnitude” and has filed a formal protest. Healthcare providers are also sounding alarms about the impending transition.
“It’s not easy to deal with insurance companies, and I’m worried it’s going to be a terrible transition. It’s not fair for the doctors or their practices. And, I’m telling you, these patients are going to suffer for it,” said Dr. Renu Gupta, a Medicaid provider.
Faith-Based Services Penalized in Liberal Scoring System
The progressive takeover of the bidding process wasn’t limited to promoting transgender ideology. Documentation shows that reviewers also penalized bidders who suggested faith-based services might be helpful to Medicaid recipients. One reviewer specifically criticized a company for suggesting a connection to faith-based services, writing, “Unsure of reason for faith-based service connection when not introduced in scenario.”
The contract decisions particularly impact vulnerable populations, including a planned transition of over 200,000 elderly, blind, and disabled Georgians to managed care by mid-2026. United Health Care won the foster care contract, replacing Amerigroup, which had faced criticism for denying psychotherapy requests for children and teens in foster care.
With legal challenges mounting and healthcare for millions hanging in the balance, this controversy highlights how unelected bureaucrats can undermine conservative governance and potentially harm the very citizens Medicaid is meant to help – all while pushing a progressive agenda that Georgia voters never approved.
