Dr. Oz claims $14 billion in Medicaid fraud due to improper enrollments

In May 2025, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. made a controversial claim regarding the presence of approximately 8 million individuals on Medicaid who may not be eligible due to alleged fraud, waste, and abuse. This assertion was partly driven by access granted to the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to probe Medicaid systems in search of fraudulent enrollments. Kennedy claimed that this potentially included individuals enrolled across multiple states and those inaccurately benefiting from both Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act. His remarks coincided with growing concerns over reforms aimed at cutting federal spending on healthcare programs, particularly Medicaid. Dr. Mehmet Oz, who oversees the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, emphasized the urgency for reforms in response to a $14 billion bill that taxpayers are allegedly footed due to fraudulent activities linked to Medicaid. He pointed out that there are individuals unlawfully enrolled in Medicaid across multiple states, thus straining resources meant for those genuinely in need. Oz further criticized the system, suggesting that state incentives lead to more able-bodied adults remaining on Medicaid rather than seeking employment, a point he argued puts additional pressure on fragile healthcare resources. The discussions around these claims have sparked a broader dialogue about Medicaid's future, especially in light of the anticipated repercussions under proposed legislative changes like the "One Big Beautiful Bill Act." On May 18, 2025, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office released updated estimates suggesting that up to 8.6 million people could lose health insurance coverage by 2034 should the proposed legislation pass without revisions. This figure includes those who may not be legally eligible for Medicaid healthcare due to their immigration status. Kennedy's comments and the figures shared seemed to have little documented support at the time, prompting skepticism among various stakeholders. Advocacy groups have raised concerns that the proposed reforms could exacerbate the difficulties many vulnerable populations, including low-income families, immigrants, and disabled individuals, face in accessing necessary healthcare. Furthermore, critics of the proposed measures worry that the rhetoric surrounding fraud could be a pretext for broader cuts that would jeopardize health coverage for those genuinely in need.