The campaign to promote the Affordable Care Act in Illinois has been one of the nation’s costliest with a $33 million contract for work by high-priced public relations experts.
A review found more than 90 people billed at least $270 an hour under a contract with few built-in restraints.
Illinois got a late start, and executives at the contractor, the PR agency FleishmanHillard, say that meant they needed to flood the assignment with their best people during the first months. A spokeswoman says the state is making sure every expense is justifiable.