Duffy Bill Targets Medicaid Scammers

Press Release

U.S. Representative Sean Duffy (WI-07) introduced a bill to target Medicaid providers who improperly submit reimbursement claims to pay for abortions, and related services:

Rep. Duffy offered, "Medicaid funding assists states and health centers to provide critical health services for many women and men. Yet all too often, abortion providers -- such as Planned Parenthood -- are able to line their pockets with taxpayer funds by using a complex billing system and taking advantage of programs that rely on provider integrity for compliance."

These companies submit separate claims for abortion related procedures in order to receive increased Medicaid reimbursements. It is a process known as "unbundling" and is in violation of federal law.

To date, just a handful of federal and state audits of abortion-related claims have already uncovered millions of dollars of improper reimbursements.

In New York alone, one audit uncovered $3 million in improper reimbursements and another uncovered $17 million; in that case one-quarter of the improper claims were for abortions or related procedures.

Rep. Duffy continued, "The American people overwhelmingly agree that taxpayer funding should not be used for abortions -- and the law supports that belief. We need an honest accounting to ensure taxpayer dollars are used appropriately and this bill aims to do that."

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