(Jan. 28, 2025) – Today, the Senate Government Efficiency Committee, chaired by Renee Erickson (R-Wichita), heard from Medicaid Inspector General Steven Anderson about the office's timeline, mission and vision. The IG gave an overview that Medicaid is a $5.5 billion program and his commitment to stopping fraud, including phantom patients, billing for services not provided, unnecessary tests, kickbacks, concealing ownership in related companies, double-billing, false income information and sharing Medicaid identification. The IG gave an overview of previous audits, including:
- MediKan Payments for Ineligible Beneficiaries, July 30, 2021.
- Capitation Payments for Deceased Beneficiaries, Sept. 17, 2021.
- Home and Community-Based Services Life Alert Services, April 13, 2022.
- Out of State Residency, June 5, 2023.
- Transitional Medical (TransMed) program, Dec. 8, 2023.
- Continuing Care Retirement Communities, April 2, 2024.
The committee learned that the IG's office processed 1,454 complaints in 2024. In 2024, 105 investigations were completed and $236,454 in savings and recoveries were identified. Twenty-seven cases were closed, and 11 allegations were disproved. The IG highlighted upcoming audits about National Provider Identifier numbers and prior authorization being required by managed care organizations.