INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Ethics experts say a hole in Indiana's laws has allowed a private consultant to be paid to help shape state health care policy while also working for one of its major Medicaid vendors.

Carmel-based SVC Inc. has received more than $3.5 million in state contracts for work including design of the Healthy Indiana Plan under both Gov. Mike Pence and former Gov. Mitch Daniels. The Indianapolis Star reports (http://indy.st/1wrVltq ) Hewlett-Packard has agreed to pay the company more than $1 million while landing more than $500 million in state contracts during consultant Seema Verma's tenure.

Verma says she played no role in HP winning state contracts.

Ohio State University government ethics expert Trevor Brown says such a dual role by Verma for the federal government would raise “tremendous concern'' for regulators.