BOSTON MASSACHUSETTS, Attorney General Andrea Campbell said she is prepared to file another lawsuit against the federal government if the Trump administration’s Medicaid fraud enforcement efforts in Minnesota shift focus to Massachusetts.
Speaking during an interview on WCVB’s “On the Record,” Campbell responded to questions about whether a federal freeze on Medicaid funding similar to Minnesota’s could occur in Massachusetts.
“Well, if they come for our resources, we will file suit like we have been,” Campbell said.
Federal health officials recently paused $259.5 million in quarterly Medicaid matching funds to Minnesota while investigating what the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services described as questionable claims. CMS indicated it could withhold up to $1 billion over the next year if Minnesota does not address program integrity concerns or demonstrate that expenditures are allowable.
MassHealth, Massachusetts’ Medicaid program, represents nearly one-third of the state’s budget. President Donald Trump referenced fraud concerns in Minnesota and several Democrat-led states, including Massachusetts, during his recent State of the Union address, stating his administration was pursuing a “war on fraud.”
Campbell said her office has filed nearly 50 lawsuits against the Trump administration in efforts to protect more than $3 billion in funding.
Meanwhile, Senate Republicans in Massachusetts have called for an oversight hearing into public benefit fraud within the SNAP program. They cited findings from Auditor Diana DiZoglio’s office, which identified $34 million in public benefit fraud over a three-year period, along with two related cases brought by U.S. Attorney Leah Foley.
In fiscal year 2025, the Bureau of Special Investigations identified approximately $12 million in public benefit fraud, with nearly half attributed to MassHealth.
A recent report from DiZoglio’s Medicaid Audit Unit identified nearly $8.5 million in potential cost savings at MassHealth. The report examined dental services, transportation services, durable medical equipment providers, and inpatient maternity services.
The audit found that MassHealth paid approximately $521,500 for durable medical equipment that could not be verified as ordered by an eligible provider, about $31,700 for equipment ordered by providers excluded from MassHealth, and roughly $27,400 for equipment ordered for deceased members.
MassHealth officials stated they plan to investigate the audit findings and seek to recover any overpayments. The agency also indicated that delays in receiving information about deceased members contribute to some payment issues, and that post-payment recovery processes are used in such cases.
Campbell argued that references to Massachusetts during the State of the Union reflect a broader federal strategy targeting Democratic-led states.
Governor Maura Healey has proposed a $3.5 million increase for the Attorney General’s Office in fiscal year 2027. Campbell is seeking an additional $2.7 million to support ongoing federal legal challenges and oversight efforts.
“They’re not doing some of the public health work we’re doing, or the health care work, or the Medicaid fraud we’re doing,” Campbell said. “So we have to fill the gap.”
The situation remains developing as federal and state officials continue to address Medicaid oversight and funding concerns.
