JD Vance Praises New $91 Million Medicaid Deferral to Minnesota Amid Ongoing Fraud Probe |
WASHINGTON — Vice President JD Vance on Thursday celebrated the federal government's decision to defer an additional $91 million in Medicaid funding to Minnesota, framing the move as a key victory in the Trump administration's "War on Fraud" and building on earlier withholdings totaling more than $250 million earlier this year.
Vance posted on X quoting a detailed announcement from Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, who notified Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz of the latest deferral. The action targets what Oz described as systemic vulnerabilities in the state's Medicaid program, including high-risk service categories prone to fraud and payments made to ineligible individuals.
"This builds upon the $250 million in Medicaid deferments to Minnesota that Dr. Oz and I announced at the very beginning of our War on Fraud efforts," Vance wrote. "Proud of the work our task force and CMS continue to do." The post quickly gained traction, reflecting strong support among conservatives for aggressive oversight of federal spending.
Oz's announcement detailed the breakdown: $76 million tied to 14 service categories identified as highly vulnerable to fraud, and $14 million linked to program integrity issues, such as payments for ineligible recipients. The deferral follows recent federal searches at childcare and learning centers in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area that receive Medicaid funds, as well as prior scandals including the "Learing Center" case.
The latest action comes after the administration deferred roughly $250 million in February following an audit of Minnesota's fourth-quarter........