Rep. Angie Craig Introduces Bipartisan Bill to Prevent Wasteful Medicaid Payments
A recent Department of Health and Human Services report revealed that more than $249 million in taxpayer dollars had been spent on improper Medicaid payments for deceased enrollees
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representatives Angie Craig and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) introduced bipartisan legislation to prevent Medicaid payments from being issued on behalf of deceased enrollees and reduce wasteful government spending.
A recent report spanning 14 states revealed more than $249 million – and $3.7 million in Minnesota – made in payments on behalf of deceased enrollees between 2009 and 2019.
The bipartisan Leveraging Integrity and Verification of Eligibility (LIVE) Beneficiaries Act seeks to prevent those wasteful payments by requiring states to verify through a quarterly check with the Social Security Administration’s Death Master File database that Medicaid recipients are not deceased and remove any deceased beneficiaries from their databases.
“We’ve got to cut government spending when it’s not helping everyday Minnesotans. That’s why I’m proud to lead this bipartisan bill with Rep. Bilirakis today to improve Medicaid and ensure we’re using taxpayer dollars responsibly. I’ll be working across the aisle to get this common sense bill passed,” said Rep. Craig.
“As we work to ensure the long-term solvency of critical safety net programs, like Medicaid and Medicare, we have an obligation to ensure we are serving as good stewards of taxpayer dollars,”said Rep. Bilirakis. “This means we must prevent fraud, waste, and abuse whenever possible. By implementing simple safeguards like the ones in this bill, we can strengthen these programs and help ensure they are meeting their intended purpose of providing access to quality care for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Text of the bipartisan LIVE Beneficiaries Act can be found here.
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