The political risk in Vance’s war on fraud in Minnesota

Vice President JD Vance’s announcement of a six-month moratorium on some Medicaid funding for Minnesota risks potential blowback on the GOP, particularly so soon after the deadly federal immigration operation in the state.

The Trump administration has placed intense pressure on Minnesota due to ongoing scandal regarding fraud in its Medicaid programs. The majority of those arrested in connection to the scandal have been Somali American, which the White House cited when launching Operation Metro Surge in Minnesota.

The immigration operation in Minnesota, which resulted in the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, has been unpopular, with 61 percent of voters saying in January that enforcement had gone too far.

To further address the Medicaid fraud scandal, Vance announced last week that the administration was pausing funding to Minnesota.

“We have decided to … temporarily halt certain amounts of Medicaid funding that are going to the state of Minnesota in order to ensure that the state of Minnesota takes its obligation seriously to be good stewards of the American people’s tax money,” he said.

According to Maddie Twomey, communications director for the Democratic-aligned health advocacy group Protect Our Care, attacking health care is rarely a politically sound move.

“Trump’s own pollsters have said this again and again, and yet they continue to chip away at vital programs like Medicaid and in a midterm election year,” Twomey said. “It’s kind of shocking that this would be something that they’re trying to continue to attack when people are so clear that they are concerned about health care.”

But according to GOP strategists like Preya Samsundar, while it might “hurt in the short term,” the ultimate message of rooting out fraud remains popular.

“Even when you look at polling whilst Operation Metro Surge was happening, there’s a very specific dichotomy that voters are straddling,” Samsundar noted. “They do not like how the administration chose to handle Operation Metro Surge; they don’t approve of the tactics, but they still support the core message.”

Welcome to The Hill’s Health Care newsletter, I’m Joseph Choi — every week I follow the latest moves on how Washington impacts your health.

Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.

How policy will be impacting the health care sector this week and beyond:

States limiting HIV drug access as federal funding plateaus

More than 20 states are actively reducing or considering cutting back on their funding of programs helping people access HIV medications, as federal funding fails to keep up with the costs, according to a new report. The report from the National Alliance of State and Territorial AIDS Directors (NASTAD) found that 23 states, including Washington D.C., are implementing or considering cost-containing measures of their AIDS Drug …

Acting CDC director Bhattacharya urges measles vaccines

Jay Bhattacharya, the recently appointed acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on Monday urged families to consider vaccinating against measles as outbreaks across the country continue. In a video statement posted on the social media platform X, Bhattacharya discussed the steps that the CDC is taking the address the measles situation in the U.S., including “surging” resources and …

Texas attorney general: ‘Illegal’ for mental health providers to ‘transition’ kids in state

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton (R) on Monday issued a legal opinion that it is illegal for mental health care providers to “transition” children under state law. In 2023, Texas S.B. 14 went into effect, banning gender-affirming care to treat gender dysphoria in adolescents. The bill barred the use of puberty blockers, hormone therapy and surgeries for adolescents, though surgical treatments for gender dysphoria …

Upcoming news themes and events we’re watching:

The Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee will hold a hearing Thursday on improving patients outcomes with “next-generation care.”

A MESSAGE FROM COALITION TO STRENGTHEN AMERICA’S HEALTHCARE

Curb Corporate Insurer Abuse. Cut Health Care Costs.

Families and small businesses are paying the price for unfair corporate insurer tactics. It’s time for accountability, transparency, and policies that put patients first. Learn more.

Branch out with a different read from The Hill:

Novartis settles with Henrietta Lacks’ estate over use of her ‘stolen’ cells to advance medicine

Novartis has settled a lawsuit by the estate of Henrietta Lacks that alleged the pharmaceutical giant unjustly profited off her cells, which were taken from her tumor without her knowledge in 1951 and reproduced in labs to enable major medical advancements, including the polio vaccine. Details of the agreement, which was finalized in federal …

Local and state headlines on health care:

State Health Plan transgender care case officially on hold (The Carolina Journal)

Virginia’s new public health leaders take the helm as state agencies weather uncharted waters (Virginia Mercury)

Idaho lawmakers may cut Medicaid home care services, repeal expansion (Idaho Capital Sun)

Health news we’ve flagged from other outlets:

HHS tells employees to stop using Anthropic’s Claude (NOTUS)

The search for Democrats’ HR 1 (Roll Call)

GLP-1s may increase risk of osteoporosis and gout, new research finds (NBC News)

Opinions related to health submitted to The Hill:

How to solve the current and future physician shortage

Does RFK Jr. care that babies will needlessly die under his vaccination policies?

You’re all caught up. See you tomorrow!

More Health Care Newsletter News

© The Hill

visit website