Budget & Tax, Health Care

Cost Avoidance #1: Less fraud in Medicaid

September 25, 2017

Trent England

#1) Less Fraud in Medicaid: Make sure services reach those truly in need
Medicaid is a medical welfare program paid for by tax dollars from both the state and federal governments. Even though Oklahoma rejected the Obamacare Medicaid expansion, the program ballooned here anyway. Over the last 15 years, the number of Oklahomans enrolled has doubled and the cost to state taxpayers had tripled.

Federal reform is necessary to save Medicaid, both from compromising care for the most vulnerable and from bankrupting states and the country. State policymakers can, however, lead the way on some reforms. One thing states like Illinois and Pennsylvania have done is to improve audits of their Medicaid enrollees to weed out fraud and mistakes.

If Oklahoma achieved similar savings as other states, we could save more than $57 million for the current budget and much more (in both state and federal funds) in future years. Critics say that Oklahoma already checks the program, but the current focus is on policing against fraud by providers. This makes sense and saves money. But nobody—neither providers or enrollees—should steal from Medicaid.

Click here for OCPA's entire list of budget recommendations.