Ohio Rocked by Fraud—Now What?

The Daily Wire’s Luke Rosiak revealed the extent to which fraud tied to “Medicaid Millionaires” exists in Ohio. The state’s home health program allows people to get paid to care, even for their own family members.

Rosiak’s review of Medicaid data from the Department of Government Efficiency showed Ohio grants Medicaid waivers for people to go to the homes of beneficiaries—including their own relatives—for homemaking, chores, and “personal services.” In 2024, Ohio spent $1 billion on home health care.

For example, Rosiak reported that seven buildings contained 288 companies registered with Medicaid and charged more than $250 million over six years. Rosiak also spoke with The Daily Signal’s Tony Kinnett, revealing a connection to the trucking industry.

“That is the most common job that these people who are running home health care have,” Rosiak shared about trucking, noting “these buildings have dozens of trucking companies in them,” calling it “one of the most disturbing things.”

With similar concerns raised by reporter Nick Shirley in Minnesota, Ohio lawmakers, led by state Rep. Josh Williams, examined childcare centers in their state. Also, Gov. Mike DeWine held a press conference, and Mehek Cooke spoke with Fox News about fraud.

The Daily Signal reached out to Ohio officials for a response. Williams’ office reassured The Daily Signal that the state representative has “consistently been a leader” in the fight, pointing to the bill he introduced.

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The Ohio Department of Medicaid told The Daily Signal that it “is aware of concerns involving home health care activity” and “has been actively investigating these matters since prior to the publication of The Daily Wire series” sharing preliminary details.

“Upon initial review, some of the entities mentioned in the series are no longer Ohio Medicaid providers or have not billed Medicaid in several years,” an Ohio Department of Medicaid spokesperson said. “Some other providers are subject to ongoing investigation. [The department] will continue its review of the allegations and will take all necessary actions based on its findings.”

While the Ohio Department of Medicaid wouldn’t comment on ongoing investigations, a new program provides a “thorough review,” using safeguards to confirm billed services are rendered. The efforts are “designed to improve the early detection of potential fraud and identify future areas of inherent program risk.”

State Rep. Mike Dovilla also responded to Rosiak’s report.

“The state of Ohio is being systematically bankrupted by bad actors who have come here with zero intention of working hard but rather have figured out how to exploit the goodness of the American people to drain our country dry,” he told The Daily Signal. “The residents of our state expect Medicaid dollars to go to those who truly need it, not fraudsters abusing loopholes. Ohioans deserve action, not strongly worded letters. I authored the bill signed into law last year to audit Medicaid and I will do whatever it takes to safeguard taxpayer dollars.”

There’s also a role for Auditor Keith Faber to play, who acknowledged a need to “remain diligent in our efforts to clamp down on that waste, fraud, and abuse.”

Since 2019, 161 people have been convicted for billions in Medicaid waste, fraud, and abuse. That includes nearly $2 billion in misspent funds in Medicaid systems and, as Faber shared, “the potential for another $4.5 billion in improper payments.”

Faber told The Daily Signal he has been “actively investigating potential fraud” and vowed to “continue to sound the alarm and work with the appropriate federal authorities, the attorney general, state agencies, and local authorities to bring to account those who steal Ohio tax dollars.”

Faber’s term is up soon, with Secretary of State Frank LaRose running to replace him. One of LaRose’s “first steps,” he told The Daily Signal, will “expand the technological and tactical capabilities of that agency to combat the persistent abuse of public resources,” involving “an all-of-government approach to this problem.”

Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican nominee for governor, has a plan to prosecute fraud and “put the saved dollars back in the hands of Ohioans.”

At the national level, Vice President JD Vance, assigned by President Donald Trump to lead a fraud task force, promoted the work of that task force and called for “immediate action.”