Bummer: DOGE Going After Medicaid And Medicare

Obviously, this will make Democrats very upset, but, what if DOGE finds lots and lots of, let’s just call it mismanagement? And they find lots of extra money which can go into helping Americans rather than graft fraud theft shady mismanagement?

DOGE officials home in on Medicare, Medicaid offices

Representatives of billionaire Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) have turned their focus to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the agency confirmed Wednesday.

It was unclear which systems DOGE had access to and whether any sensitive medical information was part of the efforts.

The Wall Street Journal reported earlier Wednesday that DOGE aides had been granted access to key payment and contract systems.

“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,” the agency said in a statement. “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 CMS is essentially the federal government’s insurance provider. The agency sets payment rates for doctors, hospitals and insurers, while also overseeing Medicare, Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program and the Affordable Care Act — programs that provide coverage for more than 150 million people.

As The Hill points out, CMS spent $1.5 trillion in 2024, which is 22% of the federal budget. Was it all on the up and up? Was there waste? Overspending? Paying employees way to much? Moving money to where it doesn’t help? Expenditures that do not help Americans with medicine but enrich some pockets? Even if it is just $100 million, that can go far, right?

“Obviously, everybody’s private health information needs to become private, but I think they need access and to see where we can be more efficient, effective. There’s a lot of money been spent by CMS,” House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Brett Guthrie (R-Ky.) told reporters Wednesday.

This is just one step in auditing the entire federal government.

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