Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act
Plain Language Summary
# Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention Act Summary **What the bill does:** HR 2309 requires state Medicaid programs to check whether healthcare providers are deceased before enrolling them in the program. Specifically, it mandates that states use the Social Security Administration's Death Master File—a database of deceased individuals—to verify provider status during enrollment and re-enrollment. After providers are initially enrolled, states must continue checking this database at least quarterly to catch any deaths that occur. **Who it affects:** This bill primarily affects state Medicaid agencies responsible for enrolling healthcare providers, as well as Medicare and Medicaid programs themselves. It aims to prevent fraud by stopping deceased providers from continuing to bill these government health insurance programs. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee (HR 2309 in the 119th Congress) and has not yet been voted on by the full House.
It was introduced by Rep. Scott H. Peters, a Democrat from California.
CRS Official Summary
Medicare and Medicaid Fraud Prevention ActThis bill provides statutory authority for the requirement that state Medicaid programs check, as part of the provider enrollment and reenrollment process, whether providers are deceased through the Social Security Administration's Death Master File. The bill requires states to continue to check this database on at least a quarterly basis after providers are enrolled.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.