WASHINGTON, D.C. — Today, Representatives Scott Peters (D-CA-50) and Gabe Evans (R-CO-08) reintroduced the Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act. This bipartisan legislation would require states to check the Social Security Administration Death Master File (DMF) before automatically reenrolling doctors who take payment from Medicare and Medicaid. This commonsense fix, based on findings from a U.S. Government Accountability Office study, would prevent criminals from using recently deceased physicians’ credentials to commit fraud. A recent HHS Inspector General report also recommended that the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services explore further opportunities to integrate the DMF into its oversight efforts.

“Fraud in Medicare and Medicaid hurts the rightful beneficiaries of those programs and all taxpayers,” said Rep. Peters. “Our bipartisan bill will prevent one of the most egregious forms of fraud in our healthcare system. As we work to put our country on a better fiscal path and tackle our enormous debt, we must do everything we can to stop taxpayer dollars from being misspent.”  

“We must eliminate and be proactive against fraud within Medicaid and Medicare to protect the programs for those who truly need it,” said Rep. Evans. “I’m proud to co-lead the bipartisan Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act to advocate for access to quality health care for Americans who rely on these programs.”

The legislation was originally introduced by Rep. Peters and former Representative Mike Garcia (R-CA-27) last Congress and passed the House by a voice vote. Reps. Peters and Evans are joined by Representatives Mike Kennedy (R-UT-03), Tom Suozzi (D-NY-03), and Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11) in introducing the legislation.

“As a physician who has cared for many Medicaid and Medicare patients, I firmly believe that safeguarding these vital programs from fraudulent activity is of utmost importance,” said Rep. Kennedy. “This legislation will prevent scammers from taking advantage of a provider’s death to steal tax dollars away from those who rely on these programs for care.”

“This commonsense bipartisan bill provides a Congress-backed fix to root out waste, fraud, and abuse in the federal government,” said Rep. Suozzi. “We can save money while still safe-guarding health benefits for those who genuinely need them. I am proud to co-lead a bill that works towards government efficiency, but does so with a scalpel, not a sledgehammer. We need more of this type of reform.”

“It’s estimated that New York alone makes $20 billion in improper Medicaid payments annually,” said Rep. Malliotakis. “By rooting out the fraud & abuse, we are preserving the program for our seniors, disabled & other vulnerable citizens who rely on it. This common sense legislation ensures that bad actors can not use the information of deceased doctors to fraudulently bill Medicaid.”

Find the full text of the legislation here.

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