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February 26, 2026- Steven E. Greer, MD
The recent developments in the fight against healthcare fraud, particularly involving fraudulent Medicaid claims tied to daycare centers in Minnesota, align closely with aggressive policy recommendations I too have long advocated.
As a surgeon who has witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of such schemes, I filed an FCA complaint addressing similar multi-state fraud involving improper billing and misuse of federal healthcare funds. When reports surfaced about Minnesota’s fraudulent daycare operations exploiting Medicaid (schemes that allegedly siphoned millions (with losses estimated in the hundreds of millions in related cases) from taxpayer-supported programs) it felt deeply validating and timely. I had long anticipated that this issue would expand nationwide, as these patterns rarely remain isolated to one state.
Dr. Mehmet Oz, now serving as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and a fellow surgeon, has shown a keen awareness of the profound harm caused by hospice-related fraud. This isn’t merely financial theft; enrolling ineligible elderly patients in hospice programs often strips them of standard curative medical care, effectively amounting to a form of euthanasia by neglect.
Dr. Oz took decisive action by producing a series of investigative videos, personally visiting suspected fraudulent hospice locations in Los Angeles and Minnesota. His motivation appears genuine and patient-centered, much like my own drive to expose these abuses.
Inspired by his efforts, I reached out directly to Dr. Oz with suggestions on effective strategies to combat this fraud. To my surprise and encouragement, he responded.
The momentum accelerated dramatically. In his State of the Union address on February 24, 2026, President Trump elevated the issue to national prominence, declaring a “new war on fraud” and assigning Vice President JD Vance to lead the charge. This includes the establishment of a dedicated division within the Department of Justice to tackle such abuses head-on.
The very next day, February 25, Vice President Vance and Dr. Oz held a joint press conference at the White House, announcing immediate concrete steps. They deferred (temporarily halted) approximately $259.5 million in quarterly federal Medicaid funding to Minnesota, specifically targeting questionable claims related to those daycare centers and other high-risk areas like autism care and non-medical transports. This approach—using the administrative powers of HHS and CMS to suspend payments and pursue clawbacks of improperly disbursed funds—mirrors precisely what I had recommended in my communications. Rather than relying solely on lengthy DOJ investigations, these agencies can act swiftly to protect taxpayer dollars and deter further abuse.
I am not claiming sole credit for these measures. Clearly, Dr. Oz and veterans at CMS, Vice President Vance, and the broader administration team had already been developing robust strategies. Nonetheless, it’s gratifying to see the implementation of approaches I’ve urged: a) prioritizing rapid funding cuts, b) clawbacks, and c) program integrity safeguards over slower bureaucratic processes.
To build on this promising start and ensure sustained success, I offer the following additional recommendations:
1. Vice President JD Vance, who is positioned to run for president in the future, must secure a strong victory in his home state of Ohio to solidify his political foundation. Ohio has faced its own significant challenges with fraud in public programs, including reports of misuse tied to immigrant communities such as Haitian and Somali populations in certain areas. Focusing investigative and enforcement resources on these Ohio-specific issues would demonstrate decisive leadership, protect state taxpayers, and resonate strongly with voters concerned about program integrity and resource allocation.
2. Additionally, there should be a formal liaison mechanism established between the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), including CMS. The DOJ boasts a deep bench of veteran lawyers and prosecutors who have spent decades handling FCA cases and complex healthcare fraud investigations. These experts can provide invaluable guidance, case strategy, and litigation support to the Medicare and Medicaid teams at CMS and HHS, accelerating prosecutions, improving coordination, and maximizing recoveries.
3. Finally, to supercharge detection and prevention, top computer and data experts—like Elon Musk and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) team—should be brought in to rapidly analyze vast Medicare and Medicaid datasets. Advanced AI-driven screening, anomaly detection, and real-time auditing could identify fraudulent patterns at scale far faster than traditional methods, flagging suspicious claims before payments are issued and enabling proactive interventions across states.
This crackdown represents a promising shift toward accountability in federal healthcare spending. By combining executive action, agency authority, public awareness, and these enhanced recommendations, the administration can safeguard vulnerable patients, recover billions for taxpayers, and restore trust in these critical programs. As someone deeply invested in rooting out these schemes, I remain committed to supporting and highlighting such efforts.