Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ) is cosponsoring a bill introduced by Representative Michael Rulli (R-OH) to crack down on Medicaid fraud.
What the Bill Does
The Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act requires states to conduct an annual Medicaid fraud risk assessment and identify the most apparent waste, fraud, and abuse vulnerabilities.
States must then estimate how many taxpayer dollars are at risk of improper expenditure, evaluate how effective current integrity maintenance tools are, and identify where oversight, data sharing, and enforcement must be strengthened.
What Biggs is Saying
"For far too long, governments at every level have allowed a festering culture of fraud and waste of monumental proportions across the United States," Rep. Biggs said through a press release. "Government officials have a responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer dollars and ensure that Americans' hard-earned money is spent appropriately and protected from fraud. Unfortunately, under the current state administration, Arizona has been an unwilling participant in the critical effort to hold bad actors accountable and root out fraud wherever it exists."
He is "pleased to co-sponsor the Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act to establish a clear baseline for states to identify fraud, recover improper payments, and correct deficiencies in their Medicaid programs. Arizona officials must take these responsibilities seriously. Taxpayers deserve accountability, and continued failures in oversight risk both federal funding and the public's trust."
Rep. Biggs cited the ongoing delinquent Single Audit controversy within Arizona, as Assistant Secretary for Financial Resources Gustav Chiarello told the Arizona Joint Legislative Audit Committee (JLAC) in September about the state's failure to meet the audit deadline under Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ), calling it "inadequate."
Last week, State Representative Gail Griffin (R-19) issued a warning that the continued delinquency would result in billions of federal dollars meant for Arizona healthcare being frozen, stating, "We are talking about $18.3 billion in HHS funding and services that seniors, people with disabilities, and vulnerable families rely on. These Arizonans should not have to worry about losing benefits because the Governor has failed to meet basic federal accountability requirements."
