Eight people were arrested in Acadiana on multiple charges of Medicaid welfare fraud.
Attorney General Jeff Landry says there is a tremendous amount of abuse in Louisiana and his office will continue to fight to root out welfare fraud. He says Louisiana spends 14 billion dollars a year under the Medicaid expansion.
“When you compare it to states like South Carolina that spend only $7 billion, you know that there is a tremendous gap in the amount that we’re spending in Louisiana and what other states are spending.”
The individuals arrested were allegedly submitting time sheets and service logs for Medicaid services while working other jobs. Landry says we need to save these taxpayer dollars for services Louisiana needs, like new roads and higher education.
“Every time someone defrauds or abuses this program, they are taking away from those who need it the most. What we want to do is do our part and ensure that this program is run efficiently.”
Landry says Medicaid fraud occurs when providers use the Medicaid program to obtain money they are not entitled to. He encourages residents to report Medicaid fraud or abuse to his office.
“Report Medicaid fraud or abuse or the neglect of residential care facilities. People can call our Medicaid fraud hotline at (888) 799-6885.”