Walberg Bill to Combat Medicaid Fraud Clears Key Committee
Washington, D.C.—Congressman Tim Walberg's bipartisan legislation to combat Medicaid fraud and protect beneficiaries advanced unanimously yesterday through the Energy and Commerce Committee. Introduced with Rep. Peter Welch (D-VT), H.R. 3891 broadens the authority of Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCUs) to identify, investigate, and prosecute possible fraud, patient abuse or neglect wherever it may occur. The legislation now heads to the House floor for further consideration.
"Medicaid Fraud Control Units are a vital instrument of justice for rooting out fraud and protecting beneficiaries from abuse," said Walberg. "The current law needlessly ties the hands of these fraud units to do their job and investigate abuse and neglect. Our bipartisan bill will improve their ability to protect the most vulnerable, and I look forward to its timely consideration on the House floor."
Earlier this year, the National Association of Attorneys General announced their support of H.R. 3891 in a letter signed by a bipartisan group of 49 state attorneys general. In 2017, MFCUs recovered over $7 million in taxpayer dollars and contributed to 24 convictions in Michigan. Nationally, MFCUs were responsible for about $1.8 billion in recovered funds and 2,500 convictions.
Congressman Walberg serves on the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the House Education and the Workforce Committee as Chairman of the Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions. For more information on Walberg's work in Congress visit walberg.house.gov.