A recent audit of the Connecticut Office of Health Strategy reveals “serious management failures” that should serve as a “red alert” for state officials, some lawmakers say. Gov. Ned Lamont’s office, however, says issues highlighted in the audit have already been addressed.
The audit, which covered the fiscal years 2022 and 2023, noted purchase card irregularities, inconsistent recordkeeping and missing contract evaluations for contracts worth $15 million. OHS also could not find required monthly project reports for a $7.7 million contract, auditors noted in the report.
House Republican Leader Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford – joined by state Rep. Nicole Klarides-Ditria, R-Seymour, and state Rep. Devin Carney, R-Old Saybrook – is calling on the governor to assess whether OHS has the capacity and leadership to fulfill its mission. Klarides-Ditria is the House ranking member of the Public Health Committee and Carney is the House ranking member of the Government Oversight Committee.
“Healthcare is among the most complex policy challenges facing Connecticut — affecting costs, access, and quality for residents and employers alike,” the group said in a joint statement. “When you consider the critical state of Connecticut’s hospital network and the agency’s broad responsibility for healthcare planning and cost containment, these findings should serve as a red alert.”
The Office of Health Strategy is responsible for advancing health reform initiatives with the goal of improving health, driving down consumer costs and supporting modernization efforts.
“Here’s the reality: Democrats talk endlessly about healthcare reform, and Governor Lamont makes ambitious promises about bringing down costs and improving access, but this audit makes clear that reforms will never materialize when the very agency charged with implementing them can’t manage basic contract oversight,” Republican leaders said.
The lawmakers noted that three of the findings in the audit were repeat issues also noted in prior reports.
“Until the governor acknowledges this failure and charts a new course for OHS, all the rhetoric about healthcare transformation is just an empty promise to Connecticut families and businesses counting on real change,” the House Republicans said.
Rob Blanchard, director of communications for Lamont, said the governor appreciates the findings of the audit but that corrective action steps have already been taken.
“Using this audit to disparage the important work of bringing down health care costs and ensuring quality is just looking to protect a broken system,” Blanchard said.
Senate Republicans Stephen Harding, Heather Somers, Rob Sampson and Jeff Gordon also issued a statement in response to the audit highlighting what they call “sloppy recordkeeping” and “more examples of government purchasing card irregularities using taxpayer money.”
The group noted that OHS Commissioner Deidre Gifford – who they said is linked to the Kosta Diamantis corruption trial and guilty verdict – retired this year.
“Under new leadership, the agency must address these findings promptly,” they said.
The four senators also said they plan to ask for a full accounting of how much OHS spends in outside consultancy fees.
“The public deserves answers and responsible government,” they said in a joint statement.
Kimberly Martone, chief of staff at OHS, said items noted in the audit have already been addressed.
“We have implemented changes to our business office and succession practices to address key findings identified by the audit,” Martone said in a statement this week. “We have also enhanced our annual training curriculum to include more intensive training on procurement and staff and supervisor responsibilities related to the Family Medical Leave Act, in alignment with Department of Administrative Services protocols.”
The agency has also monitored the process improvements implemented and does not anticipate these findings to be repeated in future audits, she said.