LINCOLN - An Omaha father has filed a lawsuit against the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) after the agency estimated it would cost nearly $1 million and take until September 2076 to fulfill his public records request. Curt Safranek requested communications between DHHS employees and consulting firm Alvarez & Marsal regarding the state’s use of the interRAI assessment tool, which helps determine Medicaid waiver funding for Nebraskans with disabilities. DHHS estimated the request would require more than 26,000 hours of work by three employees, costing approximately $976,264. The dispute comes amid ongoing concerns over the interRAI tool’s impact on funding for families with disabilities and the state’s decision to seek competitive bids for an independent review. Safranek’s lawsuit raises questions about government transparency and public access to records involving programs serving vulnerable Nebraskans.

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