Attorney General Keith Ellison’s legislation to combat Medicaid fraud passed the Minnesota Senate State and Local Government Committee on April 9. The Medical Assistance Protection Act, also known as the MAP Act, aims to expand Ellison’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), provide new investigative authority, and strengthen state laws against Medicaid fraud.
The bill’s advancement means it will now be considered by the Senate Judiciary Committee. In recent weeks, the MAP Act has also moved through several House committees: it passed out of the House Public Safety Committee on March 24, the House Judiciary Committee on March 10, and the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee on February 26.
Ellison said, “I am committed to getting my bipartisan, fraud-fighting legislation across the finish line, and today’s successful hearing brings us one step closer to that. This bill puts more resources at the disposal of my office’s talented team of investigators and prosecutors who are working hard every day to hold Medicaid fraudsters accountable. My fraud fighting team regularly ranks as one of the best in the nation, and I will continue working with lawmakers from all parties to get that team the tools they need to go after fraudsters and to protect our tax dollars.”
Since Ellison was first elected Attorney General, his MFCU has secured over 300 convictions related to Medicaid fraud and recovered more than $80 million in restitution. Last year alone, his unit ranked sixth nationally for investigations per Medicaid expenditure, fifth for bringing charges related to fraud cases, and eighth for securing convictions. Over a six-year average period, Minnesota’s MFCU ranks fifth nationwide in total convictions.
Despite these achievements with a relatively small staff compared with other states’ units handling similar-sized budgets—currently set at 32 employees when Minnesota’s Medicaid budget was $13 billion—the federal Department of Health & Human Services Office of Inspector General recommends an increase in staffing now that Minnesota’s budget is approximately $20 billion.
States with comparable Medicaid budgets often maintain larger investigative teams than Minnesota does currently. The next steps for this legislation involve further review by additional legislative committees before possible passage into law.
