Trump administration pauses over $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota

The Trump administration announced that it’s pausing $1 billion in Medicare and Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota, accusing the states of widespread fraud. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. and Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz made the announcement in a press conference Tuesday, accusing recipients of the programs in the two states of “suspected fraud and noncompliance.” “If those ​states want that money they need to provide ​documentation that these payments are legitimate,” Kennedy said. But as Reuters reported, neither Kennedy nor Oz offered new evidence of fraud. President Trump, Vice President JD Vance, and multiple administration officials have attacked Democratic-run states in the last few months, accusing them of engaging in widespread fraud when it comes to public services. In May, the White House blocked $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements for California, claiming that the state was not tackling fraud in its home and hospice health agencies. Last month, Trump reportedly directed federal agencies to look into how they could block funding for the state of California, and the Federal Emergency Management Association was caught holding up disaster aid to blue states earlier this year. Less than a week ago, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin not only threatened to block federal grants, but also to jail state officials in Democratic states that refuse to hand over voter registration to the Trump administration. In the past, states have appealed these cuts in court and won. Minnesota and Calfifornia will likely sue to get their funding back, and they’ll have plenty of evidence that the White House is targeting them for vindictive reasons.  

The Trump administration is pausing more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota over alleged fraud concerns, officials announced Tuesday. Tuesday marked the second time Trump targeted the two states' Democratic governors — California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz — for alleged Medicaid fraud in their states, and continues...

The Trump administration will withhold more than $1 billion in Medicaid payments to California and Minnesota after an audit indicated instances of fraud in the federal health program.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said his agency is pausing $867.5 million in Medicaid payments to California and $199 million to Minnesota.

Health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr says AI used to identify potential fraud in Democratic-run statesThe Trump administration has paused more than $1bn in Medicaid funding to California and Minnesota, citing “suspected fraud and noncompliance” – withholding of funding that follows a $243m pause in Medicaid payments to Minnesota earlier this year.“If those states want that money, they need to provide documentation that these payments are legitimate,” said Robert F Kennedy Jr, secretary of the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said at a press conference on Tuesday. Continue reading...

The administration accused California and Minnesota of fraudulent activity in their public health insurance programs.