Cuban Communists Operating a Healthcare Scam in Florida

Health and Human Services Secretary Accuses Cuba of Fraud in Florida

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has alleged that Cuba’s communist government is operating a significant healthcare fraud scheme in South Florida. In a recent interview with a news outlet, Kennedy discussed revelations regarding this fraud while also addressing efforts related to the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, which focuses on reforming food and drug regulations, rebuilding trust in public health following the COVID-19 pandemic, and tackling corruption, especially after the Biden administration limited HHS’s abilities to combat fraud.

Kennedy explained that his department had identified various violations involving durable medical equipment linked to the Cuban regime. He claimed that companies in South Florida have been improperly selling wheelchairs and knee braces while billing Medicaid, relying solely on a patient list without legitimate sales.

“We found one hotel with 129 rooms, and each one was linked to a durable medical equipment company,” Kennedy said.

He added, “There are twice as many durable medical equipment companies in South Florida as there are McDonald’s. Many aren’t actually selling anything; they exist just to defraud the federal government.”

Kennedy highlighted that the Biden administration disbanded HHS’s Program Integrity Division, which he claims has left HHS unable to effectively uncover fraud. He noted a drastic reduction in the staff of the Department of Integrity from 80 members down to just six across the entire country, including all 50 states and territories.

Interestingly, this revelation about the Cuban regime coincided with comments from Dr. Mehmet Oz, Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), who indicated that foreign entities—possibly from Russia and China—could be involved in U.S. hospice fraud. “We believe that many of them are connected to the Russian mafia. When we attempt to apprehend these individuals, they sometimes escape back to their home countries,” he explained.

Oz also mentioned, “In Flushing, I suggested earlier that the Chinese government might be involved. There are indeed twice as many durable medical equipment suppliers in South Florida compared to McDonald’s, and we suspect the Cuban government is linked to this as well.”

Earlier this year, CMS halted new durable medical equipment business licenses nationwide for six months after identifying a large-scale fraud scheme allegedly involving Cuban nationals. Oz emphasized that the scam had been “weaponized,” implying orchestration by Cuba’s government.

“Many of these businesses are owned by Cuban nationals filing false claims for millions in reimbursement for non-existent goods. They just return to Cuba,” Oz stated back in February. “We’re struggling to trace that money—it’s already been sent overseas, and the question is who will be left holding the bag.”