Minnesota Has A Fraud Problem

It seems like Minnesota has become the hot spot for fraudsters. The Feeding Our Future fraud scheme has been called "the largest COVID-19 fraud scheme in the nation". And that's just the tip of the iceberg. Federal authorities are uncovering Medicaid fraud across a number of programs, including predatory enrollment practices, false claims related to home care services, and even misuse of funds in autism treatment centers. These are multi-million dollar scams, and they have been going on for years. It shows a clear mismanagement and lack of accountability from the Walz Administration.

My colleagues and I have sent a letter to Governor Walz telling him we are ready to work with him in good faith to restore the public trust that is being broken by a government that does not respect the taxpayer, but we also demand accountability. I look forward to breaking this pattern and protecting the Minnesota taxpayers in any way I can in Washington.

Expanding Access to Innovative Hearing Devices

The FDA has approved the fully implanted hearing devices as prosthetics, not simple hearing aids. These devices could help countless people regain their hearing. These new devices are so innovative and very different from a traditional hearing aid, particularly because they require surgery for implantation and removal. This has been recognized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Medical Association. Unfortunately, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has still been classifying them as a hearing aid, which means that its implantation cannot be covered by Medicare. This prices out so many people and keeps them from taking a monumental step for their health and well-being.

I am proud to introduce legislation that will enable more people to gain access to these life-changing products. The Hearing Device Coverage Clarification Act will require CMS to clarify that fully implanted devices are prosthetics and not subject to the Medicare hearing aid coverage exclusion.

Outlining Priorities to CMMI

The Center for Medicare and Medical Innovation (CMMI) was established by Congress to improve the quality of care while reducing costs to the federal government. Unfortunately, the center strays from this mission all too often, increasing the amount of federal funding it spends without producing significant savings for the taxpayer. They also have been neglectful of more rural parts of the country. Luckily, with a Republican House that understands our rural communities, and an Administration committed to serving the people, we have an opportunity to change those things.

Upon his Senate confirmation last month, I joined my colleagues on the Ways and Means Committee in sending a letter to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz, and CMMI Director Abe Sutton, outlining the Committee's priorities in CMMI space. In the letter, we encourage the center to support innovation that is financially responsible. We also stress the need to expand opportunities to address rural health disparities and encourage rural provider participation. And, we encourage them to improve transparency and engagement with Congress, stakeholders, subject-matter experts, and participants.

I am hopeful that this CMMI will see the importance of improving care for our rural communities and saving taxpayer dollars over all and I look forward to monitoring their progress.

REENTRY Act

I have spoken with several county and local officials, and I have heard their concerns about healthcare-related constraints on their budgets. As we work to strengthen Medicaid, we are looking to ways we can take the burdens off our local governments. One small but meaningful way we can address this is by relieving the financial burden on counties regarding medical care for incarcerated persons.

Currently, when a person on Medicaid is incarcerated, they stop being eligible for Medicaid until the Inmate Exclusion Policy kicks in upon conviction. This causes a lapse in care during their incarceration, forcing counties to foot the bill. Obviously, this system can cause issues for counties that are navigating other healthcare-related budget issues.

I am a proud cosponsor of the REENTRY Act. This bipartisan legislation would allow inmates to use Medicaid for things like addiction treatment or psychiatric medication during the 30-day period before an individual’s release when they are transitioned to community care. Not only does this take some of the burden off counties, but it also allows incarcerated individuals to have a smoother transition back to society help break the cycle of individuals returning to jail.

Reducing Dependence on China for Pharmaceuticals

House Republicans and the Trump Administration are working to strengthen our supply chains anddecrease our reliance on adversaries, namely the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Department of Commerce has launched an investigation regarding pharmaceuticals and ingredients, and I joined my colleagues in sending a letter to Secretary Lutnick encouraging the Department to pay special attention to the PRC and its efforts to dominate the supply chain for critical drugs. 

According to the Department of Defense, 27% of essential medicines are at "very high risk" due to our reliance on ingredients from China. China currently accounts for 95% of U.S. imports of ibuprofen, 70% of imports for acetaminophen, and up to 45% of imports of penicillin, just to name a few.

Our letter encourages the Department to focus on the threat posed by the PRC and consider strengthening pharmaceutical trade with allies like Australia, Canada, and Japan, arguing it will bolster our trade position and decrease our reliance on our biggest adversary.

Thank you for reading!

fischbach.house.gov

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