WV Medicaid head defends $600 million no-bid contracts

The head of West Virginia's Medicaid program defended a decision by state officials to enter into $600 million in no-bid contracts with three health insurance companies.

Nancy Atkins, the commissioner for the state Bureau for Medical Services, said the contracts were not required to be bid out by the federal government.

"While some states have competitive bidding for managed care contracts, it is not required" by the federal government, she said in a statement.