State Policy · OH
Ohio AG-elect Kulewicz Vows to Scrutinize Medicaid Fraud Claims
Democrat John Kulewicz, elected Ohio attorney general, said in a phone interview he will prioritize consumer and economic issues including antitrust enforcement, consumer fraud, wage theft and utility rate discrimination. He said he wants to investigate the gap between Trump administration allegations of billions of dollars in Medicaid provider fraud and prosecutions that have only recovered millions of dollars. Kulewicz also said he intends to continue using Ohio's antitrust law against sectors affecting consumers' necessities, noting a pending lawsuit by his predecessor accusing a health conglomerate of driving up prescription drug costs paid by the state. He takes office after winning a close race over Republican Keith Faber.
Why it mattersOhio Medicaid providers and managed care organizations could face new scrutiny or public reckoning over fraud allegations as the incoming attorney general seeks to verify the scale of claimed Medicaid provider fraud against actual prosecution totals.