Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, alongside state leaders, is taking decisive action against Medicaid fraud in response to a new enforcement initiative announced by the Department of Justice. This initiative, unveiled at the Defense Supply Center Columbus, targets various fraud schemes including those in behavioral health and government programs.
State and Federal Collaboration
Governor DeWine expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump and federal leaders for their collaboration, highlighting Ohio’s strong record in prosecuting Medicaid fraud. Since 2011, the state has seen over 2,200 indictments related to Medicaid fraud.
The Ohio Department of Medicaid will suspend payments to 49 high-risk home health providers showing potential fraud indicators, following an executive order by DeWine. This move aims to ensure accountability and deter abuse within the Medicaid system, according to ODM Director Scott Partika.
Measures to Enhance Medicaid Integrity
Governor DeWine has implemented several measures to safeguard Medicaid’s integrity, including a six-month moratorium on new enrollments for high-risk provider categories and more frequent revalidation of high-risk providers. Additionally, the state will accelerate the implementation of GPS-based Electronic Visit Verification to better monitor in-home services.
Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose announced an expanded partnership with the DOJ to streamline sharing of Ohio business records with the National Fraud Detection Center. LaRose emphasized that fraud is a crime against taxpayers and should not be tolerated.
Encouraging Public Vigilance
Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost urged residents to report suspected fraud, reinforcing that taxpayer money is at stake. The DOJ has unsealed indictments for 14 individuals allegedly involved in fraud schemes totaling over $50 million.
Federal and state authorities have also launched a roundtable to enhance fraud detection and prosecution, including a data-sharing agreement for access to corporate registrant data. The FBI introduced a Most Wanted Fraudsters list to publicize fugitives accused of stealing taxpayer money.
Original reporting: WTOL Toledo — read the source article.
