The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has Been a Poor Steward of Federal Medicaid Dollars
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Serial Number
Levin Center Identifier
Document Date
2018-06-20
Report Length
24 pages
Policy Agendas Project Major Code
Policy Agendas Project Minor Code
Additional, Minority, Dissenting Views
Report Type
Found Using Methodology
Yes
Subcommittee(s)
Commission(s)
Idependent Author(s)
Brief Executive Summary
This Majority Staff report, led by Chairman Ron Johnson of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, scrutinizes Medicaid’s integrity and rising costs since February 2017. It emphasizes the failure of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to address waste, fraud, and abuse, despite receiving recommendations from the Government Accountability Office (GAO). The report identifies over 1,100 individuals involved in fraudulent schemes targeting Medicaid for prescription opioids and asserts urgent congressional action is needed to reform healthcare and ensure responsible use of taxpayer funds. Recommendations include reducing annual overpayments, holding states accountable for fraud, and implementing structural reforms to address Medicaid’s role in the opioid epidemic. Collaboration between the CMS and government watchdogs is crucial for effective fraud prevention. Additionally, revising healthcare provider taxes and transitioning Medicaid funding to a block grant mechanism are proposed to curb federal spending.