State Medicaid programs scrutinized for fraud

In Louisiana, Minnesota and elsewhere, officials are cracking down on Medicaid fraud.

Stateline: Medicaid Fraud In The Spotlight
With the federal government trying to cut costs and crack down on fraud, a congressional panel this week will set its sights on the Medicaid program, which last year paid out nearly $22 billion in error or fraudulent claims. The April 25 hearing by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee is just the latest in a series that Congress has held recently targeting federal program that have high "error rates" in payments, such as Medicaid (Prah, 4/24). 

New Orleans Times-Picayune: Audit Finds More Problems With Louisiana Medicaid Home-Care Programs
Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera's office last year documented six years of irregularities that resulted in $4.32 million in improper payments to Medicaid vendors who provide in-home and community-based care to elderly and disabled patients. The new follow-up audit involves 2010 claims from 25 workers. All the cases involved patients that had family members serving as their direct-care provider (Barrow, 4/23). 

Minnesota Public Radio: Accountability of Minn.'s Medicaid Is Latest Dustup In Long Fight
Minnesota Human Services Commissioner Lucinda Jesson testifies before a joint congressional hearing Wednesday about accountability in Minnesota's Medicaid program ... Jesson has been dogged by questions about the state's decision to keep a $30 million repayment of Medicaid funds from an HMO. On Monday, Jesson reversed course and agreed to share half the money with the federal government, which pays half the costs of Medicaid (Stawicki, 4/24).