Hawkeye Reporter

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has announced new efforts to address duplicative enrollment in government health programs, a move expected to save taxpayers about $14 billion annually. The agency identified that, on average, 1.2 million Americans were enrolled in Medicaid or the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) in more than one state each month during 2024. Additionally, CMS found that an average of 1.6 million people per month were simultaneously enrolled in both Medicaid/CHIP and a subsidized Exchange plan.

Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) welcomed the CMS announcement. "I’m glad to see CMS crack down on the billions in waste, fraud and abuse that I’ve long been calling out. It’s unacceptable that taxpayers have continued to foot the bill for this expensive fraud. CMS’s actions build on Republicans’ successful work in the One Big Beautiful Bill to enact critical measures to strengthen health care, all while curbing fraud," Grassley said.

Earlier this month, Grassley urged CMS to investigate potential fraud within Obamacare after receiving information related to independent reports highlighting widespread issues. In 2023, he sought answers from senior Biden administration officials about their initiatives to reduce waste, fraud, and abuse within the Affordable Care Act marketplace.

Grassley also raised concerns about improper payments during Dr. Mehmet Oz's confirmation hearing and emphasized the need for timely responses from CMS regarding congressional oversight.