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Nichols Files Bill to Help Crack Down on Medicaid Fraud
Austin - State Senator Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) Monday filed SB 852 which will allow the Texas Attorney General’s office to more effectively prosecute cases of Medicaid fraud, specifically illegal kickbacks.
“Every Medicaid dollar taken through fraud is a dollar stolen from taxpayers,” said Nichols. “We must give our public prosecutors every means possible to crackdown on Medicaid kickbacks.”
The bill, requested by the Attorney General’s office, permits a special team, known as the Civil Medicaid Fraud (CMF) Section, to more effectively pursue and prosecute cases involving Medicaid kickbacks.
“I applaud General Abbott for aggressively working to clean up Medicaid fraud and abuse,” said Nichols. “This bill makes sure the division has the authority needed to pursue illegal kickbacks.”
Since its inception in 1999, the CMF Section has recovered approximately $211 million from cases including false billing, false cost reporting and overbilling. The amendment to this statute clarifies the authority of CMF to pursue kickbacks like other Medicaid fraud cases.
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