福克斯新闻数字版获悉，佛罗里达州共和党参议员阿什利·穆迪（Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla.）正在提出一项新法案，旨在填补保护医疗补助（Medicaid）欺诈受益人免受起诉的法律漏洞。
穆迪的《防止医疗补助欺诈法案》（STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act）源于她担任佛罗里达州总检察长时的经历，当时她只能从医疗服务提供者（provider）一方起诉医疗补助欺诈。该法案将赋予州总检察长及其医疗补助欺诈控制部门（Medicaid Fraud Control Units）调查和起诉欺诈性福利领取者的权力。
“作为佛罗里达州总检察长，我打击欺诈行为，为纳税人追回数百万美元，现在作为美国参议员，我也在继续打击欺诈行为：发现并填补法律漏洞，加强执法力度，”穆迪周二在给福克斯新闻数字版的声明中表示。
声明中还提到：“《防止医疗补助欺诈法案》赋予州总检察长权力，不仅可以起诉医疗服务提供者，还可以起诉试图骗取纳税人资金的福利领取者。这将对我们的‘反欺诈战争’大有裨益。”
穆迪办公室表示，联邦检察官可以根据反回扣法起诉欺诈福利领取者，但联邦机构往往让“小鱼”（small fish）逍遥法外。他们认为，授权医疗补助欺诈控制部门（MFCUs）将在很大程度上填补这一空白。
这项拟议法案在像明尼苏达州这样的州可能特别有效，多年来该州显然存在猖獗的欺诈行为，导致调查和指责陷入泥潭。
一项新的州审计调查了明尼苏达州州长蒂姆·瓦尔兹（Gov. Tim Walz）政府下的欺诈行为，结果显示该州人类服务部（DHS）多年来未能妥善调查医疗补助回扣指控。
[科默将指控蒂姆·瓦尔兹’助长欺诈’，在明尼苏达州的重磅听证会上未能保护吹哨人]
据哥伦比亚广播公司新闻（CBS News）12月报道，回扣是该州自闭症服务项目中揭露的欺诈计划的关键组成部分，检察官描述了提供者如何利用经济激励措施吸引和留住家庭，以最大化医疗补助账单金额。
在一个案例中，调查人员称，一家自闭症中心运营商通过提供与入组相关的付款或福利等策略欺诈性地收取数百万美元，这说明回扣如何推动了夸大的索赔，并导致原本用于自闭症儿童的公共资金被大规模滥用。
审计建议DHS“应修订其定义‘欺诈’的行政规则，明确将回扣纳入其中”，并表示如果这一情况没有发生，立法机构应进行干预。
[明尼苏达州欺诈丑闻后，参议院多数党领袖推动为每一笔税收美元获取’收据’]
在一份新闻稿中，明尼苏达州众议院欺诈预防委员会主席、共和党州议员克里斯汀·罗宾斯（Kristin Robbins）正在竞选州长，她写道：“该州持续存在的欺诈行为缺乏问责制，这令人震惊。”
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福克斯新闻数字版记者安德鲁·马克·米勒（Andrew Mark Miller）对此报道有贡献。
安德斯·哈格斯特伦（Anders Hagstrom）是福克斯新闻数字版记者，负责报道全国政治和重大突发新闻事件。请将线索发送至Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com，或通过X平台：@Hagstrom_Anders。
Sen. Ashley Moody, R-Fla., is introducing new legislation aimed at closing a legal loophole protecting the beneficiaries of Medicaid fraud from prosecution, Fox News Digital has learned.
Moody’s STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act is routed in her experience as Florida’s attorney general, where she was limited to prosecuting Medicaid fraud only on the provider side. The legislation would grant state attorneys general and their Medicaid Fraud Control Units to investigate and prosecute the recipients of fraudulent benefits as well.
“I fought fraud as [Florida’s Attorney General], recovering millions of dollars for taxpayers, and I’m fighting it now as a U.S. Senator: finding and closing gaps in our laws to increase enforcement,” Moody said in a statement to Fox News Digital on Tuesday.
“The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act gives State AGs the authority to pursue and prosecute not just providers but recipients looking to bilk taxpayers. This will go a long way to winning our War on Fraud,” the statement continued.
[COMER TO SAY TIM WALZ ‘ENABLED FRAUD,’ FAILED WHISTLEBLOWERS IN BOMBSHELL MINNESOTA HEARING]
Moody’s office says federal prosecutors can go after fraud recipients under anti-kickback laws, but said federal groups often let the “small fish” skate by. Empowering MFCUs would go a long way toward picking up the slack, they say.
The proposed law could be particularly effective in [states like Minnesota], where years of apparently rampant fraud has led to a quagmire of investigations and finger-pointing.
A new state audit investigating the fraud in Gov. [Tim Walz’s] Minnesota revealed that the state’s Department of Human Services (DHS) failed for years to properly investigate Medicaid kickback allegations.
[SENATE DOGE LEADER MOVES TO FORCE ‘RECEIPT’ FOR EVERY TAX DOLLAR AFTER MINNESOTA FRAUD SCANDAL]
Kickbacks were a key component of fraud schemes uncovered in [the state’s autism services program], with prosecutors describing how providers used financial incentives to attract and retain families in order to maximize Medicaid billing, CBS News reported in December.
In one case, investigators said an autism center operator fraudulently billed millions while using tactics that included offering payments or benefits tied to enrollment, illustrating how kickbacks helped drive inflated claims and contributed to large-scale misuse of public funds intended for children with autism.
The audit recommended that DHS “should amend its administrative rule defining ‘fraud’ to clearly include kickbacks” and said the [legislature should intervene] if that doesn’t take place.
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In a press release,Minnesota House Fraud Prevention Committee Chair Kristin Robbins, a [Republican state representative] running for governor, wrote, “The continued lack of accountability for the rampant fraud in this state is astounding.”
READ MOODY’S BILL –[APP USERS, CLICK HERE:]
Fox News’ Andrew Mark Miller contributed to this report.
Anders Hagstrom is a reporter with Fox News Digital covering national politics and major breaking news events. Send tips to Anders.Hagstrom@Fox.com, or on X: @Hagstrom_Anders.
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