Republican Lawmakers Push for MaineCare Overhauls After South Portland Home Care Fraud Indictments
Federal fraud charges against six individuals linked to a South Portland home care agency have sparked immediate demands for state oversight. According to a report by WABI, Republican leaders in Maine are pressing for reviews of the MaineCare program following the recent criminal case.
The federal indictments target six people associated with Community Home Health Care. Court documents show that all six defendants have pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Prosecutors claim the defendants submitted false visit records for services that were never actually delivered. In one instance alone, investigators allege the agency filed more than $600,000 in fraudulent claims tied to a single client.
Augusta Briefing Outlines Three Concrete Demands
During a press briefing on Thursday, Republican lawmakers laid out three specific actions they want state officials to take in response to the indictments.
House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham and Senate Minority Leader Trey Stewart argued that state watchdogs failed to act on years of warnings. They contend that intervention only happened after federal authorities stepped in.
The three demands outlined by the legislative leaders include:
- An independent, third-party review of MaineCare
- A full public accounting from the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) regarding when concerns about Community Healthcare were first raised
- A status report on MaineCare providers under payment suspension or referred for investigation
The office of Governor Mills was contacted by WABI for comment regarding the Republican proposals, but a response had not been received at the time of reporting.
