Attorney General Hanaway Urges Congress To Help States Fight Medicaid Fraud

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Today, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway, alongside 16 other attorneys general, sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce and the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance expressing their support for the swift passage of H.R. 5364 and S.4176, collectively known as the “STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act.”

“The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act is an essential piece of legislation that will allow our state to further crack down on Medicaid fraud and prosecute those who prey on the vulnerable,” said Attorney General Hanaway. “Congress should act swiftly and pass this legislation so states can pursue those who want to exploit the system for personal gain.”

Currently, federal restrictions on state Medicaid Fraud Control Units (MFCU) limit the states to investigating and prosecuting provider fraud. The STOP FRAUD in Medicaid Act seeks to enable states to investigate and prosecute Medicaid beneficiary and recipient fraud.

The Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (OIG) found that in 2025, MFCUs recovered $4.64 for every dollar spent by states and the Federal Government. For fiscal year 2025, almost $2 billion was recovered from criminal and civil cases combined. These MFCU convictions resulted in the OIG excluding 900 individuals and entities from Federal health care programs.

The following states joined Missouri in this letter: Alaska, Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and West Virginia.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Missouri Attorney General’s Office investigates allegations of fraud committed by Medicaid providers and will prosecute allegations of abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation in Medicaid-funded facilities. The Unit is comprised of prosecutors, investigators, and support staff. The Missouri Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $3,551,892.00 for Federal fiscal year (FY) 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,183,960.00 for FY 2026, is funded by Missouri.

The letter as sent can be viewed here.