Vice President Vance to highlight anti-fraud efforts

AUGUSTA — During a visit to Bangor on Thursday, Vice President JD Vance will deliver remarks about the Trump administration’s efforts to combat fraud, according to Vance’s office.

In March, President Donald Trump signed an executive order establishing a “task force to eliminate fraud” targeting state Medicaid programs. 

Much of the executive order focuses on Minnesota, where there have been several convictions related to Medicaid fraud totaling millions of dollars. The order also mentions Maine, California, Illinois, New York and Colorado, saying that “there’s strong reason to believe similar problems” exist in those states.

“Fraud and mismanagement in these programs constitutes theft of the hard-earned tax dollars from Americans paying into these programs, and of the benefits owed to Americans who need them,” the executive order states. 

For months, Maine Republicans have been sounding the alarm about potential fraud in MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program. In December, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services referred one Portland area provider to the attorney general’s office for investigation after finding “a credible allegation of fraud.”

In another case, a federal audit released in January identified about $46 million in improper payments for community support services for children with autism. The audit did not allege fraud but identified problems with documentation and compliance. 

In recent months, DHHS officials have appeared before state legislative committees to explain their process for rooting out fraud and abuse in the system.

DHHS officials did not respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, but Commissioner Sara Gagne-Holmes told lawmakers in January that her department “takes allegations of fraud very seriously.” 

A spokesman for Gov. Janet Mills, a Democrat in her last year in office, did not provide any comments in advance of Vance’s visit. Mills has previously characterized the Trump administration’s allegations of fraud as targeting Democratic states.

“Under this president, addressing alleged fraud has become a political cudgel that he is using to desperately distract from his failing agenda,” Mills said in March. “And let’s be clear about who he is using that cudgel against: Democratic-led states, and people like me who dare to stand up to him.” 

Vance is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m. Thursday at BGR Aviation, according to the Maine Republican Party.