AFPI California and Minnesota Back HHS Move to Verify $1 Billion in Medicaid Claims

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The America First Policy Institute's (AFPI) California and Minnesota chapters today released the following statements after the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) deferred more than $1 billion in federal Medicaid payments to the two states, including roughly $867.5 million to California and $199 million to Minnesota, pending documentation that flagged claims meet federal requirements.

Mike Garcia, AFPI California Chair, said:

"Let's be clear about what actually happened here. Nobody's benefits were touched and nobody lost coverage. The federal government looked at in-home care spending that grew way faster than the rest of the country and asked California to show the paperwork. If the claims are good, the state gets every penny. I'd think Sacramento would be eager to prove its critics wrong."

Zach Freimark, AFPI Minnesota Executive Director, added:

"We didn't need Washington to tell us there's a fraud problem in these programs. Our own legislative auditor identified these exact service areas years ago, and some of these providers have been flagged before. Checking the claims before the money goes out is common sense. Honest providers will get paid. The people who should be nervous right now are the ones who've been gaming the system."

AFPI stands squarely behind ending fraud in federal programs. Every dollar recovered is a dollar restored to the American people these programs exist to serve.

Learn more about AFPI California here and AFPI Minnesota here.