Committee Poses Questions to HHS Regarding Potential Conflict of Interest Concerns Surrounding Health Exchanges

November 13, 2012

QSSI Positioned to Play Critical Role in Determining Eligibility for Exchanges

*WASHINGTON, DC ---* House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-MI) and Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee Chairman Cliff Stearns (R-FL) today requested the Department of Health and Human Services provide information on the contract awarded to Quality Software Services, Inc. (QSSI) to support health exchanges. The QSSI contract has not been made publicly available, and the company's recent acquisition by United Health Group has raised concerns about its role. Recent media reports have detailed the conflict of interest concerns.

The members wrote, "As United Health Group's insurance plans will likely try to be named as Qualified Health Plans in the health exchanges, including the federal exchange, please describe the processes and procedures that will be in place to guarantee that United Health Group will not receive preferential treatment by its subsidiary QSSI."

The members also requested HHS provide details on the work to be performed by QSSI in the exchanges, documents which describe the process by which QSSI was awarded the contract, and documents regarding how HHS has resolved reported protests to the procurement process.