Failed Hospital Deal Reveals Ties to HHS Commissioner Janek
Three years ago, a company called Geo Care Inc. failed to win a contract from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission to privatize the Kerrville State Hospital, one of the state's 10 psychiatric facilities.
So the company's lobbyist, Frank Santos, circled back and provided HHSC Executive Commissioner Kyle Janek with a blueprint for how the agency could successfully privatize other state hospitals — maybe Austin, Kerrville, San Antonio and Rusk — which would then allow Santos' client to bid for the work.
The blueprint included proposed timelines and lists of influential legislators whose favor might be curried to bring together such a public-private-partnership, also known as a "P3."
"I've attached a memo that describes 4 separate options available for a P3 initiative," Santos wrote to Janek in an Aug. 6, 2013 email. "We ranked then according to which hospital provides the best outcome for success."
Fourteen months later, Geo Care, which changed its name to Correct Care Solutions, won a contract to privatize the Terrell State Hospital. It was the only bidder to submit a complete application.
Read more: http://www.texastribune.org/2015/04/16/was-kyle-janek-steered-terrell-state-hospital-vend/