State Representatives Michael Carbone (R-25) and Selina Bliss (R-1) are calling on Governor Katie Hobbs (D-AZ) to comply with a new federal data-sharing program to root out fraud in Medicaid and other public benefit programs.
The Context
On Friday, the Department of Justice's National Fraud Enforcement Division announced that the states of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Louisiana, North Carolina, and South Carolina have entered an agreement with the federal government to expand data-sharing capabilities, thereby preventing information silos for the detection, investigation, and prosecution of fraud in Medicaid, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Small Business Administration (SBA) loans, housing assistance, and other benefits programs.
Carbone and Bliss to Hobbs: "Join In!"
Arizona House Majority Leader Carbone and State Representative Bliss issued a press release calling on Gov. Hobbs to sign on to the program, pointing to the tribal sober living fraud scheme uncovered in May right here in the Grand Canyon State.
"Arizona families work hard and pay their taxes, and they have every right to expect that not one dollar of their money ends up in the pocket of a fraudster," said State Rep. Carbone. "Six states have already signed up to help catch the criminals stealing from taxpayers and from the people these programs are supposed to serve. There is no good reason Arizona should not be next, and no good reason for Governor Hobbs to wait."
Similarly, State Rep. Bliss stated, "Every dollar siphoned off by fraudsters is a dollar that does not reach an Arizona family who needs it."
"We have seen billions lost to sober living scams and phantom behavioral health clinics right here in our state, and Arizona has been named one of the riskiest states in the country for this kind of abuse," State Rep. Bliss continued. "Joining this data-sharing partnership is a common-sense step that can help investigators catch fraud before it grows into another multibillion-dollar scandal."
