AUSTIN, Texas – Mark Sanders, the CEO of Superior HealthPlan, was dismissed from his position following revelations that his company had hired private investigators to gather personal information on customers, journalists, and even lawmakers.
The dismissal came just days after Sanders testified before the Texas House Committee on the Delivery of Government Efficiency, where he confirmed that private investigators had been hired to surveil individuals with the goal of uncovering sensitive details.
In a statement to The Dallas Morning News, Centene Corporation, the parent company of Superior HealthPlan, expressed its disapproval of the actions taken by Sanders.
“The conduct highlighted during the Texas House Committee hearing is not reflective of our values, nor is it a practice Centene’s current leadership condones,” the statement read. “To this end, Mark Sanders is no longer with our organization.”
Following Sanders’ testimony, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office confirmed that an investigation into the matter had been launched.
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The controversy erupted during a meeting of the House Committee on the Delivery of Government Efficiency, which was initially focused on the state’s procurement process for managed care organizations like Superior HealthPlan. Committee Chair Giovanni Capriglione, a Republican from Southlake, was quick to confront Sanders about the company’s use of taxpayer funds to hire private investigators.
“I don’t think what any of us expected was for a health insurance company, funded mostly by Texas taxpayer dollars, to use some of those funds to hire private investigators,” Capriglione said. He pointed to one particular instance in which investigators were allegedly hired to follow a mother whose child had been denied medical care, exacerbating the child’s condition.
When Capriglione asked Sanders directly if investigators had been employed to dig into the backgrounds of customers, government officials, and even a reporter, Sanders admitted to the practice. He explained that the goal was to learn more about the individuals with whom the company interacted, a justification that was met with scorn from Representative Matt Tinderholt.
“You wanted leverage, and you thought that you were going to use it,” Tinderholt responded, adding, “I dare you to investigate me. Do it, and bring it.”
In a subsequent press release, Attorney General Paxton’s office suggested that the actions might amount to potential blackmail intended to secure state contracts or avoid paying legitimate medical claims. The investigation, Paxton stated, would determine if any illegal activity had occurred.
The firing of Sanders has raised significant concerns about the ethics of using taxpayer dollars for such practices, especially when they involve vulnerable individuals seeking healthcare. As the investigation unfolds, many are questioning the broader implications for transparency and accountability within the state’s health insurance system.
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