DeWine defends administration against Medicaid fraud criticism

Gov. Mike DeWine offered a defense of his administration this week following criticism by his fellow Republican legislative leaders and the party's candidate to succeed him after reports of fraud in Ohio's Medicaid program, specifically related to home health providers (Source: “DeWine answers criticism from his fellow Republicans about Ohio Medicaid,” Statehouse News Bureau, May 20).
 
GOP candidate for governor Vivek Ramaswamy, House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima), and Senate President Rob McColley (R-Napoleon) have criticized DeWine for vetoing budget provisions they say would have prevented Medicaid fraud. But DeWine said he had a reason.
 
“The one bill I vetoed would have prohibited us from using GPS coordinates to check on fraud, to make sure that the person who is delivering the service is actually in that woman or man's house,” DeWine said. “So we had to veto that.”
 
DeWine has put a plan in place he says will combat Medicaid fraud. He said he is working with the Trump administration to protect Ohio's Medicaid system.
 
Since the beginning of 2023, Ohio has secured 444 Medicaid fraud indictments, 481 convictions, and 146 civil settlements and judgments, resulting in $78.4 million in recovered taxpayer funds.