Colorado Spent Over $7M On Deceased Medicaid Recipients: U.S. Dept Of Health And Human Services Audit

OAN Staff Brook Mallory
6:09pm – Tuesday, February 25th, 2025

A recent audit by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found that Colorado paid more than $7 million to provide care to Medicaid beneficiaries who have passed away.

advertisement

Medicaid has been a hot topic in recent weeks. Approximately 80 million Americans use Medicaid. This is for individuals and families with low incomes and resources, such as children, pregnant women, elderly people, and people with disabilities.

Colorado is serving the services of deceased Colorado citizens for at least $7.3 million in services for Colorado citizens, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Inspector's Office. It reportedly paid at least $7.3 million.

These are capital payments and provide a specific total to the provider for each registered person for a given period, regardless of whether or not the person uses medical services.

According to the report, Colorado officials have registered Medicaid because there is no automated way to monitor deaths, despite data from the Social Security Agency's Deathmaster Files that most of the time showed this. He didn't know if the person died because of his death.

However, in some documented cases, the state handled compensation even though it knew death, Newsweek It has been reported.

The report says Colorado began using an automated payment system in 2019 and made efforts to restore payments. Nevertheless, payments issued to individuals designated as not qualifying for Medicaid were not collected.

“In some cases, the state had not introduced recipients because they did not return paperwork despite the person's death.

The three conditions proposed as a result of the findings are accepted by the state.

However, the Colorado Department of Healthcare Policy and Financing has rebutted some of the claims in the report. Inspectors allege they rely on federal and state records instead of contacting members to confirm their survival.

“Based on OIG's inadequate approach in reaching the financial estimates of this report, HCPF does not attempt to identify and recover uncertified surrender payments, but rather does not attempt to recoup Medicare and Medicaid Services’ payments. We need to directly challenge the center and estimates,” the Colorado Department said. of Mark Williams, a health policy and funding spokesman.

“We disagree with the comments of state agencies that the audit work is “inadequate” and does not provide “true verification.” [our] Survey results. ”

An estimated $3.8 million plus $2.2 million for “other Medicaid spending previously overreported by state agencies” is the amount the inspector's office recommended to the federal government for Colorado salaries.