California referred few Medicaid fraud cases for investigation
California referred relatively few Medicaid fraud cases for criminal investigation in recent years, as the state has become a hot spot for healthcare fraud, rivaling other fraud-fraught jurisdictions.
TL;DR
- California Medicaid officials referred around 300 fraud cases for criminal investigation in recent years.
- Rep. Randy Weber questioned the low referral rate, contrasting it with over 700 cases received by the state's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
- Fraudulent hospice billing in Los Angeles County alone amounted to $3.5 billion in stolen Medicare dollars.
- California has implemented measures to protect the Medicaid program, including new requirements, safeguards, and regulations.
- The state has criminally charged over 100 suspected fraudsters, revoked hundreds of licenses, and established a state hospice task force.