Musk’s Team Gets Access To Medicare Money Fraud Cases

Daily Report February 06,2025

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Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has gained crucial access to payment and contracting data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), marking a significant step in its mission to combat government waste and fraud. The agency, which provides healthcare coverage to over one-third of Americans, manages an enormous $1.5 trillion in annual disbursements, representing 22% of federal spending.

Taking to social media, Musk expressed his conviction about the significance of this development, stating: “Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening.”

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While DOGE’s access is currently limited to read-only capabilities and excludes personal enrollee information, the collaboration has been formalized with dedicated oversight. A CMS statement confirmed this arrangement, noting: “CMS has two senior Agency veterans — one focused on policy and one focused on operations — who are leading the collaboration with DOGE, including ensuring appropriate access to CMS systems and technology.”

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The agency further elaborated: “We are taking a thoughtful approach to see where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient use of resources in line with meeting the goals of President Trump.”

The scrutiny comes at a crucial time, as improper payments continue to plague federal healthcare programs. In 2023, Medicare and Medicaid together accounted for $72.5 billion in improper payments, with Medicare responsible for $51.5 billion and Medicaid for $21 billion. These figures represent nearly half of all improper government payments.

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The scope of CMS’s operations is vast, with Medicare serving approximately 66 million elderly and disabled Americans, while Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program provide coverage to nearly 80 million individuals. An additional 12 million Americans receive benefits from both programs.

DOGE’s investigation into CMS is part of a broader initiative to reduce federal spending by $1-2 trillion, targeting major budget areas including Social Security, Medicaid, military spending, and debt payments. The department has already begun similar investigations at the Treasury Department and has engaged with the Labor Department, while implementing significant changes at USAID.