Last week, the Texas Senate Committee on Health and Human Services held a hearing on program integrity in Medicaid and other services. A few key themes emerged during the nearly eight-hour hearing:
- Chair Lois Kolkhorst, other committee members, and witnesses emphasized that Texas has implemented strong anti-fraud measures in Medicaid, child care, and other services in recent years. As a result, the state has not seen the kinds of problems that emerged in other states. In child care, for example, Senators and witnesses did not cite any reports of fraud in Texas. Meanwhile, state officials continue to implement measures to prevent inaccurate payments in the child care services program.
- Nonetheless, legislators and the experts testifying to the committee made clear that there is more work to do in particular areas. Chair Kolkhorst and the CEO of Hospice Brazos Valley, for instance, raised concerns about certain hospice providers billing Medicaid for questionable services. Additionally, Senator Charles Perry and others emphasized the need for improved technology and data sharing. Officials from the Attorney General’s office and HHSC’s Inspector General described their ongoing enforcement efforts targeting fraudulent business practices.
- Describing concerns about program integrity in Medicaid, Chair Kolkhorst said, “It’s not the recipients. Many times, it’s the providers.” Throughout the hearing, Senators and witnesses highlighted the risk of scams by unscrupulous providers.
- Several senators recognized the important role that Medicaid plays in supporting the health of Texans enrolled in the program. They noted that in Texas, Medicaid provides health insurance to a few select populations — particularly children, pregnant and postpartum women, people with profound disabilities, and seniors.
You can watch the full hearing here.
We look forward to working with the Legislature to ensure that Medicaid and other programs continue to serve eligible Texans while state investigators root out threats to the integrity of these programs.
