FIRST ON THE DAILY SIGNAL—While the Trump administration looks to crack down on waste and fraud across the country, a conservative watchdog group is looking to fight waste in Vice President JD Vance’s own background by highlighting concerns at one of the nation’s top hospitals.
Save Our States, a group dedicated to defending the Electoral College, has—along with its 501(c)(4) action arm—come up with a TV ad, digital ad campaigns, mobile billboards, and a website to highlight its concerns with the Cleveland Clinic and its tax-exempt status.
The TV ad from Save Our States Action framed the Cleveland Clinic as an example of “bejeweled, bedazzling lifestyles of the rich and famous.”
Among the concerns listed in the ad are allegations of suing patients, “deceptive billing,” and sexual assaults.
Such concerns were revealed in a report from last April by Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-La., chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
The TV ad also highlighted an art museum, a sports center with the Cleveland Cavaliers, and a Super Bowl ad to speak to the clinic being at “the height of elegance!”
“With all that cash, they’ve become venture capitalists,” the ad proclaimed. “And due to their tax-exempt status, it’s subsidized by you, the taxpayer!”
“A wealthy urban hospital using tax loopholes to take money meant for rural hospitals. But it’s all about the money and fame! Cleveland Clinic-taking your tax dollars, betraying their patients,” the ad concluded.
A statement from Save Our States Executive Director Trent England, shared exclusively with The Daily Signal, highlighted how Ohioans are affected.
“Should taxpayers subsidize Super Bowl commercials? Should health care dollars pay for art museums? Cleveland Clinic thinks so. It benefits from countless government programs, then pays executives multi-million-dollar salaries and builds lavish facilities in places like London and Abu Dhabi,” England said. “How does this help patients in Ohio, or American taxpayers?
“Meanwhile, Cleveland Clinic faces accusations of overcharging, deceptive billing, and suing patients for medical debt. Taxpayers and patients need to know: We’re being systematically overcharged for health care and places like Cleveland Clinic are behind it.”
England also sent a letter on Tuesday to Rep. Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, and Rep. Morgan Griffith, R-Va., chairman of the subcommittee on health.
“Chairman Bill Cassidy and the Senate HELP Committee released a report that examined Cleveland Clinic’s use of 340B. It found the system receiving hundreds of millions of dollars in benefits each year. It clearly has plenty of resources, having built luxurious facilities in places like London and Abu Dhabi, and even its own art collection. Yet it has faced allegations of deceptive billing, accusations of overcharging patients, and even reports of a secret settlement to cover up sexual assaults during exams,” the letter first shared with The Daily Signal stated.
England also expressed what he hopes lawmakers will do.
“Taxpayers subsidize it all, but these expenses do little to benefit American patients,” England wrote. “Save Our States urges congressional leaders to scrutinize spending at subsidized hospitals. Americans need health systems that respect taxpayers and put patients first. Now is the time for transparency and accountability.”
Vance’s role in leading “the war on fraud” came up during President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address last month. The president made it official with an executive order on Monday. While blue states have faced scrutiny over massive fraud schemes, waste concerns with the Cleveland Clinic take place in the vice president’s home state.
The Daily Signal reached out to the Cleveland Clinic for comment, as well as attorneys for Dr. Omar Massoud, the doctor referenced in the ad. An attorney noted that the case has been closed for some time and declined to comment further.
According to the public docket from Cuyahoga County, on June 18, 2024, Massoud was ordered to pay a fine, surrender his license, and sentenced to probation. He also received credit for jail time served on May 9, 2025.
