Ramaswamy Calls for Medicaid Fraud Crackdown in Ohio

Vivek Ramaswamy, a candidate for governor in Ohio, is advocating for a significant crackdown on Medicaid fraud after an investigation reportedly revealed millions of taxpayer dollars directed to fake home health care companies.

The inquiry uncovered 288 health care businesses registered at the same address. Many of these companies seemed either abandoned or in disrepair, raising questions about the actual services being offered.

During an appearance on “Saturday in America,” Ramaswamy mentioned to Fox News host Kayleigh McEnany, “We need to scrutinize how more than $40 billion in Medicaid funds are utilized in this state.”

He expressed, “I believe that any instance of waste, fraud, or abuse… We will pursue investigations and prosecutions rigorously to signal that government should not be treated as a piggy bank, and taxpayers shouldn’t be defrauded.”

The billionaire candidate raised concerns following a report from the Daily Wire which highlighted widespread fraud similar to issues found with dozens of childcare centers in Minneapolis.

In response, Governor Mike DeWine’s office countered Ramaswamy’s claims that social services fraud is rampant, asserting that Ohio has substantial oversight systems in place, like electronic verification for hourly care and regular audits.

They emphasized that the state conducts background checks on healthcare providers and continuously reassesses health care needs.

DeWine’s office highlighted various measures already in place to eliminate potential fraud, including internal efforts to tackle waste, fraud, and abuse.

The Ohio Department of Medicaid, addressing the concerns raised, confirmed they were already looking into these matters before the report emerged, particularly highlighting issues in Franklin County.

They stated, “After initial investigations, we’ve found some entities mentioned are no longer Medicaid providers or haven’t billed Medicaid in years. Others remain under investigation.”

Ramaswamy argued that rampant fraud is a byproduct of a “bloated federal welfare state” and open borders, calling it a significant concern.

“You can’t change the past, but you can address the future. I’m aiming to approach this methodically,” he added. “This isn’t just knee-jerk reactions to the latest headlines; it’s about addressing the issue systematically, like the broken windows theory. It’s crucial to look at the bigger picture.”