We've seen an awful lot of virtual ink spilled on the rampant welfare fraud in blue states, from Massachusetts to California, but Minnesota has to be one of the real hotbeds. But another Midwestern state is slamming the brakes on Medicare and Medicaid fraud and abuse, and the state itself is getting things under control.
That state? Indiana, under Republican Governor Mike Braun. No FBI involvement required.
One red state’s Medicaid reforms are drawing fresh attention to deep-blue Minnesota’s fraud crisis, standing in contrast by raking in hundreds of millions in savings generated through what one Republican calls "common-sense" measures.
"Medicaid, which we share with the feds, all states are going to find low-hanging fruit to pick," Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said Sunday.
It's worth pointing out that Minnesota is doing a pretty good job of drawing fresh attention to the fraud crisis all on its own, as it seems for every one of its 10,000 lakes, at least one welfare scammer is bilking the government out of a million. But hey, why not draw that fresh comparison with a state whose leadership seems to be doing a pretty decent job of rooting out cheaters instead of, like Minnesota's Governor Tim Walz, turning a blind hoptoad eye?
"We found folks that should have been on Medicare that were still on Medicaid. People double-dipping Medicaid through a couple of different states, pharmacies with a 340B program, buying drugs at a discount, selling them at high margins. We're just picking that low-hanging fruit, and that's why we're going to lead the country."
Braun then pointed to Minnesota, which is currently enshrouded in a fraud scandal that has exposed widespread abuse of taxpayer-funded programs and raised questions about oversight.
Low-hanging fruit is a good place to start, but if other states are any indication, Indiana may want to buy some stepladders.
There is, of course, a key difference in governors here; Tim Walz, except for a brief stint as a teacher early on, has been a politician all his adult life. Governor Braun was a businessman. Now, perhaps there's some personal bias here; I'm suspicious of career politicians in general. But the governor with the business background seems to be doing much better at producing results.
Losses from fraud in Minnesota alone could top $9 billion. That's just in Minnesota. Minneapolis's Somalian community appears to be heavily - and shamelessly - involved in the mass defrauding of the taxpayers, with schemes like day care centers with no kids, with meal centers that serve no meals.
Oh, Governor Walz claims he's got a good bead on the problem now.
Gov. Tim Walz, who has come under scrutiny since the fraud issue came to light, has publicly acknowledged the problem and pledged to tackle it, saying the situation "is on my watch" and that he is "accountable" for fixing it, even as his administration has questioned some federal estimates about the scale of the fraud.
I'll make a prediction here: The situation in Minnesota won't be resolved by Minnesota's government. We already know of indications that the FBI is getting involved. And we also know that there are hints of involvement on the part of Democrat Rep. Ilhan Omar (MN-05) and her husband, if not in these shenanigans, then in some others.
Read More: New Revelations: Ilhan Omar's Husband Dumps Advisors As Questions Swirl
Buckle Up, Tim Walz: FBI Director Kash Patel Teases Major Fraud Action in Minnesota
It seems like it's always Democrat-run states that have these kinds of problems. There's no better example of that, right now, than these contrasting cases of Minnesota and Indiana - two states, both Midwestern, but both very different in their approaches to government - and in dealing with fraud.
Editor’s Note: Help us continue to report the truth about corrupt politicians like Minnesota's Tim Walz and Ilhan Omar.
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