2026年5月21日 美国东部时间早上6:00 / 福克斯新闻
参议员约翰·肯尼迪在一场参议院听证会上就加州医疗补助计划“医疗辅助计划（Medi-Cal）”向代理司法部长托德·布兰奇施压，援引报道称，该计划用纳税人资金覆盖了驱魔仪式及其他与部落医学相关的信仰疗法。
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路易斯安那州共和党参议员约翰·肯尼迪抨击加州的医疗辅助计划，该计划正因欺诈指控面临特朗普政府的审查。肯尼迪在周二的听证会上强调，有报道称加州为驱魔仪式及其他信仰疗法提供保险。
自2019年以来，加州医疗补助计划的开支已翻番有余，从约1007亿美元增至2026年预计的2220亿美元，其开支方式也日益受到严密审查。
就在上周，副总统J.D.万斯的反欺诈特别工作组在加州医疗补助系统中发现了约6亿美元的疑似欺诈行为，特朗普政府因此暂停了向加州家庭健康和临终关怀项目提供的14亿美元联邦资金。
肯尼迪在对代理司法部长托德·布兰奇的质询中称，纳税人的钱正被用于覆盖驱魔仪式——这一宗教仪式通常与天主教相关——以及其他原住民精神仪式的费用。
深蓝州议员要求就飙升的医疗成本展开审计：‘性质令人担忧’
2025年10月28日，路易斯安那州共和党参议员约翰·肯尼迪抵达华盛顿特区参加参议院共和党政策午餐会。（内森·波斯纳/安纳多卢通讯社 via 盖蒂图片社）
“过去十年里，加州人口占全美12%，”肯尼迪对布兰奇说，“但新增的所谓医疗服务提供者中，有一半是提供驱魔仪式及其他服务的。那么，我们到底在为此做些什么？为什么这种情况已经持续了这么久？”
加州为驱魔仪式及其他精神仪式提供医疗补助覆盖的报道最早由《华尔街日报》披露。
2024年，医疗辅助计划扩大了覆盖范围，为寻求部落社区内传统治疗师和自然辅助者服务的参保人提供保障。据州长加文·纽瑟姆办公室的一份新闻稿显示，纳税人资金覆盖的服务包括音乐疗法以及仪式、典礼、草药疗法等精神干预手段。
要被该州认定为传统治疗师，申请人必须在美国印第安部落担任精神领袖至少两年，并与印度医疗保健提供者签订合同。而对自然辅助者的要求则没那么严格，任何被视为美国印第安部落“值得信赖”成员的人都可申请。
2026年3月18日，加州圣洛伦佐，州长加文·纽瑟姆在圣洛伦佐高中的新闻发布会上签署行政令，扩大女性获得资本和财富积累机会的渠道。（泰丰·科斯昆/安纳多卢通讯社 via 盖蒂图片社）
纽瑟姆表示，扩大部落医学覆盖范围是为了帮助“疗愈部落曾遭受的历史创伤”。
“与困扰多代原住民的诸多问题一样，这些不平等现象可以追溯到美国全国范围内对各部落犯下的历史暴行，”纽瑟姆在宣布扩大医疗辅助计划覆盖范围的新闻稿中说道，“通过支持更多人获得传统医学和疗愈手段，我们正在朝着更健康、更光明的未来迈出又一步。”
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目前尚不清楚医疗辅助计划在传统治疗师和自然辅助者服务上的具体开支金额。截至发稿时，加州卫生与人类服务部未回复福克斯新闻数字频道的置评请求。
伊莱恩·马伦是福克斯新闻数字频道和福克斯商业频道的撰稿人，报道全国政治议题。
Taxpayer spending on ‘exorcisms’ derails Senate testimony: ‘What the hell are we doing about it?’
May 21, 2026 6:00am EDT / Fox News
Sen. John Kennedy pressed Acting AG Todd Blanche during a Senate hearing over California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, citing reports that taxpayer-funded coverage includes exorcisms and other faith-based healing practices tied to tribal medicine.
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Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., railed against California’s Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, which is facing scrutiny from the Trump administration over fraud allegations, as Kennedy highlighted reports during a Tuesday hearing that the state covers exorcisms and other faith-based healing practices.
Medi-Cal’s spending practices have faced growing scrutiny as California’s Medicaid spending has more than doubled since 2019, rising from roughly $100.7 billion to a projected $222 billion in 2026.
Just last week, the Trump administration suspended $1.4 billion in federal funding for California home health and hospice programs after Vice President J.D. Vance’s anti-fraud task force identified an estimated $600 million in suspected fraud within the state’s Medicaid system.
Kennedy alleged during his line of questioning to Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche that taxpayer dollars were being used to cover the cost of exorcisms, a religious practice most commonly associated with the Catholic Church, and other indigenous spiritual practices.
LAWMAKERS IN DEEP BLUE STATE DEMAND AUDIT OVER SKYROCKETING HEALTHCARE COSTS: ‘ALARMING NATURE’
Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., arrives at a Senate Republican policy luncheon in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 28, 2025.(Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images)
“California’s got 12% of the population in the last ten years,” Kennedy told Blanche. “They’re responsible for half of these new so-called health providers to provide exorcisms and other things. Now, what the hell are we doing about it? Why has this gone on for so long?”
Reports that California provides Medicaid coverage for exorcisms and other spiritual rituals were first reported by The Wall Street Journal.
In 2024, Medi-Cal expanded coverage for recipients seeking traditional healers and natural helpers within tribal communities. Services covered by taxpayer dollars include music therapy and spiritual interventions such as ceremonies, rituals and herbal remedies, according to a press release from Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office.
To be recognized by the state as a traditional healer, a person must have served as a spiritual leader within an American Indian tribe for at least two years and be contracted by an Indian Health Care Provider. Meanwhile, the requirement for a natural helper is less stringent and can apply to anyone considered a “trusted” member of an American Indian tribe.
Gov. Gavin Newsom signs an executive order to expand women’s access to capital and wealth-building opportunities during a press conference at San Lorenzo High School in San Lorenzo, Calif., on March 18, 2026.(Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu via Getty Images)
Newsom said this expansion of coverage for tribal medicine was made to assist in “helping heal the historical wounds inflicted on tribes.”
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“Like many of the issues that plague successive generations of Native people, those inequities can be traced back to the historical atrocities the U.S. inflicted on tribes across the country,” Newsom said in a press release announcing the Medi-Cal expansion. “By supporting greater access to traditional medicine and healing, we are taking another step toward a healthier, brighter future.”
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It remains unclear how much Medi-Cal has spent covering services provided by traditional healers or natural helpers. The California Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to Fox News Digital’s questions by the time of publication.
Elaine Mallon is a writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business covering national politics.
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