Trump’s Math Behind Medicaid Fraud Claims Doesn’t Add Up—Literally

An administration official admitted to the Associated Press that the Trump administration miscounted the number of people receiving home and community-based services in New York by millions. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services head Dr. Mehmet Oz claimed five million people received such care, but the actual number is around 450,000. This estimation error occurs as Medicaid faces significant cuts, including nearly $1 trillion passed by Congress last year. CMS deputy administrator Kimberly Brandt previously discussed using an "AI fraud war room" to detect alleged Medicare and Medicaid fraud, particularly in home and community-based services billing in New York and California. CMS spokesman Chris Krepich stated the agency is committed to ensuring analyses reflect state-specific billing practices and will work with New York to validate data.