Rep. Malliotakis on Combating Rampant Fraud in Medicaid and Medicare

Scale of Medicaid and Medicare Fraud

• 🎯 One out of every four Medicaid payments are identified as improper, according to the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
• ⚠️ Both Medicaid and Medicare are designated as high-priority programs susceptible to fraud, waste, and abuse, as per a 2024 OMB report.
• 💰 The Government Accountability Office estimated over $100 billion in improper payments for the fiscal year 2023 across Medicare and Medicaid.

Media and Legal Cases Highlighting Fraud

• 📰 Numerous headlines detail brazen targeting of Medicare and Medicaid programs by sophisticated criminals, with reports of billions stolen annually.
• 💸 Specific cases include a $68 million scam in New York's home care program, an $83 million accusation against South Jersey nursing homes, and a $97 million Medicare wire fraud scheme.
• ⚖️ The Department of Justice collected over $2 billion in settlements for healthcare fraud and illicit activity in fiscal year 2023.
• 🚨 Various individuals and entities, including CEOs, doctors, and taxi company owners, have faced indictments, convictions, and significant prison sentences for large-scale Medicaid and Medicare fraud schemes.

Calls for Bipartisan Reform

• 🗣️ Rep. Nicole Malliotakis emphasizes that the goal is to root out fraud and abuse to protect benefits for eligible recipients.
• 💬 Even Governor Kathy Hochul has acknowledged the program's issues, calling the Medicaid Consumer Directed Personal Assistance Program a "racket" and "one of the most abused programs in the history of New York."
• 🤝 Malliotakis urges bipartisan cooperation to fix the system, go after fraudsters, and eliminate abuse to preserve the program for seniors, the disabled, and other vulnerable Americans.
• 🚫 She advocates against playing partisan politics with this critical program that affects many New Yorkers and Americans nationwide.