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Cherokee County DSS ends Healthy Blue partnership, moves services back to VAYA after unpaid bills
Summary
DSS Director Amanda McGee informed the board that unpaid claims to Healthy Blue led to foster children losing necessary care; DSS will discontinue the Healthy Blue contract and transition behavioral-health services to VAYA while advocating to the state for VAYA operational flexibility.
Amanda T. McGee told the Cherokee County Department of Social Services board that unpaid bills from the managed-care vendor Healthy Blue had resulted in foster children losing necessary care and that, under those conditions, remaining with Healthy Blue "could constitute medical neglect of foster children."
McGee said DSS has begun transitioning services back to VAYA and will notify state authorities of the issues observed with Healthy Blue. She asked the board to support advocacy for VAYA to receive the same operational flexibility Healthy Blue had, particularly regarding enhanced-rate allocations for children with complex needs. According to McGee, VAYA indicated it will provide support during the transition.
Board members did not record a formal vote on the contract termination during the meeting; the director presented the change as an operational decision and next steps included communicating with the state and coordinating the transition to VAYA to avoid gaps in care.
