St. Paul, MN – Rep. Kristin Robbins (R–Maple Grove), Chair of the Fraud Prevention and State Agency Oversight Committee, has formally requested a federal audit of the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) following years of documented waste, mismanagement, and large-scale fraud in the state’s Medicaid programs.
In a letter sent today to the Acting Inspector General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Rep. Robbins and several legislative colleagues outlined the extensive abuse of public funds within multiple DHS-administered Medicaid programs, including Housing Stabilization Services, autism treatment programs, recovery services, and non-emergency medical transportation. These programs have been repeatedly flagged for inadequate oversight and systemic vulnerabilities.
“For years, DHS has failed to prevent massive fraud and abuse, costing taxpayers what will be over $1 billion when investigations are said and done, according to Acting U.S. Attorney for Minnesota, Joseph Thompson,” said Rep. Robbins. “This culture of corruption must end. It’s time for real accountability, and that starts with a full, independent federal audit.”
The request follows a wave of federal search warrants and criminal investigations involving Medicaid billing fraud in Minnesota. Despite repeated warnings from the state’s Office of the Legislative Auditor, DHS leadership has yet to be held accountable or enact meaningful reforms.
“The people of Minnesota deserve to know where their money is going and why so little has been done to stop this theft,” Robbins added. “We cannot wait any longer for more hearings and reform packages. It is time for action, and a full audit by our federal partners will help us get to the root of the problem more quickly. Taxpayers and vulnerable Minnesotans are counting on us to stop the fraud.”
The full letter to the Inspector General can be found here. Signers of the letter include Speaker of the House Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring), GOP Chair of the Health Finance and Policy Committee Jeff Backer (R-Browns Valley), and GOP Chair of the Human Services Finance and Policy Committee Joe Schomacker (R-Luverne).
###