U.S. Senator Ashley Moody is moving to crack down on taxpayer theft with the introduction of the STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act. The proposed legislation seeks to expand the reach of state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU), giving them the green light to go after individuals who fraudulently claim benefits, rather than just the healthcare providers who have traditionally been the focus of such investigations.
Currently, these units—which are run by state Attorneys General—are largely limited to prosecuting doctors, clinics, and other providers who overbill or defraud the system.
Moody’s bill would shift that dynamic, allowing investigators to track and prosecute any person found to be “bilking the system” to obtain funds.
The push for tighter oversight follows a massive fraud scandal in Minnesota, where reports indicate that as much as $9 billion across 14 different Medicaid services may have been billed fraudulently.
For Moody, the bill is an extension of her previous work as Florida’s Attorney General, where her office secured more than $180 million in settlements and judgments related to Medicaid fraud.
READ: Florida Rep. Byron Donalds Lashes Out At Senate As DHS Funding Halt Lingers
“I fought fraud as Florida’s Attorney General, recovering millions of dollars for taxpayers, and I am fighting it now as U.S. Senator, finding and closing gaps that exist in our laws,” Senator Moody said. “At a time when our nation’s debt is skyrocketing, we must increase our efforts to tackle wasteful spending. The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act gives states the authority to catch and punish fraud fast—both by fraudulent providers and recipients alike.”
This isn’t the only piece of legislation Moody is championing to protect federal coffers. She recently introduced the Punishing Health Care Fraudsters Act, a bill designed to ramp up both criminal and financial penalties for healthcare-related crimes.
Additionally, she is a cosponsor of the SCAM Act, which targets fraud within the naturalization process and seeks to revoke the citizenship of those who join terrorist organizations or use deception to enter the country.
By empowering state units to investigate both the people providing the care and those receiving the benefits, the STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act aims to create a more comprehensive net to catch intentional theft within the state-run programs.
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
