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Bryant/Vitale Medicaid Inspector General Bill Clears Assembly Appropriations Committee

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TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Wayne R. Bryant and Joseph F. Vitale that would establish the Office of Medicaid Inspector General to help fight insurance fraud was approved today by the Assembly Appropriations Committee by a vote of 9-4.

“Each year New Jersey loses an estimated $900 million through insurance fraud,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “This legislation would help abolish one known source of wasted funds and work to help the State use tax dollars more effectively.”

“Medicaid provides necessary healthcare to residents who normally would not be able to afford medical insurance,” said Senator Vitale, D-Middlesex, and Chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee. “I will not allow profiteers who are simply looking to make a quick buck at the State’s expense continue to rob the program of dollars earmarked to help some of our least fortunate residents.”

The Senators’ bill, S-1852, would establish an independent Office of Medicaid Inspector General and appropriate $3 million annually for office operations. The Medicaid Inspector General position would be responsible for identifying and rooting out fraud, waste and abuse within the Medicaid system, including recovering improperly expended funds and recommending persons found guilty of Medicaid related crimes to the State Attorney General for prosecution.

The Governor would be responsible for appointing the Medicaid Inspector General who would be a licensed attorney, and cannot have worked in the Medicaid system within the previous two years prior to appointment. The Medicaid Inspector General would be responsible for issuing annual reports documenting audit and investigational findings, and recommendations for corrective actions.

After nearly a nearly year-long review of the State’s Medicaid system, the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee held a hearing on Medicaid fraud on March 14. During the hearing, the Committee heard testimony from State Medicaid Director Ann Kohler, Deputy Health and Senior Services Director Matt D’Oria, State Auditor Richard Fair and John Krayniak, Supervising Deputy Attorney General in the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

This measure was unanimously approved by the full Senate on June 22.

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TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Wayne R. Bryant and Joseph F. Vitale, which would establish the State Office of Medicaid Program Integrity to help fight insurance fraud, received unanimous final legislative approval today in the Senate.

“The $900 million that the state loses each year as a result of Medicaid insurance fraud is an undue expense that taxpayers end up paying to help provide lower-income New Jerseyans with the health-care they need,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “The new office would work to root out fraud and insurance abuse, and help ensure that the funding only goes to people who need it, not to those trying to defraud the State’s most vulnerable citizens.”

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TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Wayne R. Bryant and Joseph F. Vitale, which would establish the Office of Medicaid Inspector General to help fight insurance fraud, received final legislative approval today in the Senate, by a vote of 39 to 0.

“The $900 million that the state loses each year as a result of Medicaid insurance fraud an undue expense that taxpayers end up paying to help provide lower-income New Jerseyans with the health-care they need,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “The Medicaid Inspector General would work to root out fraud and insurance abuse, and help ensure that the funding only goes to people who need it, not to those trying to defraud the State’s most vulnerable citizens.”

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Bryant Measure Would Work To Prevent Medicaid Insurance Fraud

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senator Wayne R. Bryant that would establish the Office of Medicaid Inspector General to help fight insurance fraud was unanimously approved today by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee.

“With the budget deadline rapidly approaching, the legislature is trying to find ways to cut spending and eliminate waste throughout the state. According to the federal Government Accountability Office, nearly $900 million in Medicaid funding is wasted each year through Medicaid fraud,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester, who serves as Chair of the Senate Budget and Appropriations panel. “By creating the post of Medicaid Inspector General, we will be able to identify the people who are defrauding of the Medicaid system and siphoning off the hard earned tax dollars from working New Jerseyans.”

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Bryant/Vitale Medicaid Inspector General Bill Clears Senate

TRENTON – A measure sponsored by Senators Wayne R. Bryant and Joseph F. Vitale, which would establish the State Office of Medicaid Program Integrity to help fight insurance fraud, received unanimous approval today in the Senate.

“The $900 million that the state loses each year as a result of Medicaid insurance fraud is an undue expense that taxpayers end up paying to help provide lower-income New Jerseyans with the health-care they need,” said Senator Bryant, D-Camden and Gloucester. “The new office would work to root out fraud and insurance abuse, and help ensure that the funding only goes to people who need it, not to those trying to defraud the State’s most vulnerable citizens.”

22 Feb 2007