Is State Medicaid Fraud Out of Control? [VIDEO]

State Representative Rick Edmonds talks with 101.7 / 710 KEEL's Robert J Wright and Erin McCarty about hos concerns with the increasing evidence of Medicaid fraud in Louisiana.

Edmonds tells KEEL listeners that health department costs have increased to $15 billion combined spending between the state and federal governments, with the Edwards administration asking for another billion for 2019.

From theadvocate.com:

"Baton Rouge Republican Rick Edmonds said the agency’s growing budget deserves scrutiny, especially in the wake of a recent audit that Republicans claim show millions of dollars have been spent on people who were improperly enrolled in Medicaid.

“'If you’re going to ask for an additional $1 billion. … (We) gotta have some confidence,” Edmonds said. “And things that do not bring confidence is the level of fraud, waste and abuse.'

"The agency also revealed 1,600 people were identified as making $100,000 while being covered by Medicaid, well in excess of the income threshold. The department is still reviewing some of those cases, while most are no longer enrolled."