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Mills administration touts efforts to crack down on Medicaid fraud amid scrutiny from Trump administration

Mills administration touts efforts to crack down on Medicaid fraud amid scrutiny from Trump administration

Photo: 560 WGAN Newsradio


The administration of Gov. Janet Mills says the state suspended Medicaid payments to five providers in June over credible fraud allegations.

The administration said it also terminated two providers and disenrolled 28 caregivers they say failed to submit a claim in a timely manner.

The announcement Wednesday comes the same week U.S. Medicare and Medicaid Services head Dr. Mehmet Oz came to Maine and claimed that 90 percent of Medicaid payments in the state are “unjustified.”

In a statement Tuesday, Maine DHHS pushed back against the claim, saying it works with police and partners to crack down on fraud and has rigorous oversight.

During his visit, Dr. Oz met with the conservative media outlet The Maine Wire and former Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who’s running to represent Maine’s 2nd Congressional District.

According to the Portland Press Herald, a Mills spokesperson says Dr. Oz’s choice not to meet with state officials during his visit suggests the Trump administration is “more interested in politics than fighting fraud.”

LePage issued a statement Wednesday about his meeting with Dr. Oz, saying in part: “We talked about modernizing his agency, delivering better health outcomes for Americans, and tackling the welfare fraud that has been widely reported across the country and is hitting Maine hard.”

In December, the state suspended payments to Gateway Community Services, a Portland-based nonprofit accused of fraud.

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