Medicaid Regulation Change will be Win for Taxpayers, Truly Needy, and Caregivers

Jul 13, 2018 by AFP

Grassroots group applauds Center for Medicaid and Medicaid Services proposing to end Obama-era rule allowing Medicaid funds to be skimmed by third partie

ST. PAUL, Minn. –Americans for Prosperity-Minnesota (AFP-MN) applauded a proposed regulation change by the Centers for Medicaid and Medicaid Services protecting taxpayers from an Obama-era rule that authorized states to divert taxpayer Medicaid funds to third parties.

A Supreme Court ruling in 2014 prohibited unions from deducting dues for employees who voluntarily opted out of the union. However, obstructionism was rampant among unions in Minnesota. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) was found to be deducting dues from home healthcare workers who never gave them permission to do so.

“For too long, unions have abused taxpayer dollars by diverting taxpayer funds from Medicaid recipients to line their own pockets. We applaud the CMS for taking the necessary first step for ensuring taxpayer dollars are directed toward disabled Minnesotans, rather than for supporting union agendas,” said Jason Flohrs, AFP-MN State Director. “With recent reports showing hundreds of millions of dollars in waste, fraud, and abuse in our state’s Medicaid program, it is imperative that lawmakers preserve the intent of the Medicaid program and taxpayer dollars are given to our most vulnerable population. Although more reform is needed, CMS’ ruling starts the process of making Medicaid more efficient and accountable.”

Background:

AFP-MN has been at the forefront of advocating for worker freedom and ending the coercive practice of unions collecting taxpayer money from Medicaid dues given to home healthcare workers.

AFP-MN State Director Jason Flohrs and AFP Director of Policy Akash Chougule addressed the worker freedom crisis in Minnesota last year in an op-ed in National Review. They highlighted personal stories from workers that have had union dues deducted from their paychecks by a union they never voted to install and through a process rife with fraud.

Excerpt from the National Review article:

“These dedicated health care workers shouldn’t have to worry about keeping union bosses from skimming money off the top of Medicaid payments designed to help our most vulnerable citizens. Let’s free our workers from this burden and let them keep their own money – not pad union coffers with more taxpayer dollars.”