Carpino Votes to Curb Medicaid Fraud

HARTFORD- A bill to shine a light and issue a report on the state’s performance in preventing, tracking down and recovering Medicaid fraud was supported by State Rep. Christie Carpino (Cromwell and Portland) today in the House of Representatives.

The bill was the genesis of a report done by the Program Review and Investigations committee, where Carpino is the head House Republican member. “This is a significant budget area for the state and unfortunately is one where fraud exists. The goal of this bill is to safeguard the taxpayers’ money and provide better oversight over our Medicaid dollars.”

The bill requires the Department of Social Services (DSS), in coordination with the Chief State’s Attorney and Attorney General, to annually submit a joint report to the General Assembly on the state’s efforts in the previous fiscal year to (1) prevent and control Medicaid fraud, abuse, and errors and (2) recover Medicaid overpayments.

Additionally, the bill requires DSS to (1) assess the feasibility of expanding its Medicaid audit program, (2) analyze the recovery of Medicaid dollars through its third-party liability contractors to determine if recovery procedures maximize collection efforts, and (3) report its findings to the legislature.

During a 2012 committee meeting, Republican lawmakers in the state asked whether people are moving into Connecticut to take advantage of the state’s Medicaid programs. Roderick Bremby, the state’s commissioner of Department of Social Services, said that, over the past five years, food stamp usage has increased 80% and Medicaid services 30%. However, besides the economic downturn, he could not determine specific causes for the increase in low-income adults on Medicaid.

In 2011, Carpino and other lawmakers urged the state to hire more Medicaid fraud investigators, arguing that the positions would be reimbursed 75% by the federal government. The administration and Democrat lawmakers never included that suggestion in budget adjustments.

The bill now goes to the State Senate for final passage.