Bill would require quarterly Medicaid checks against federal death records

What does this do?

HR 2309 requires state Medicaid programs to check enrolled providers against the Social Security Administration's Death Master File when providers sign up or renew, and at least once every three months after that. These checks would begin January 1, 2027. The goal is to detect cases where someone uses a deceased provider's identity to submit fraudulent Medicaid billing.

Who does it affect?

State Medicaid agencies would need to build these checks into their enrollment systems. The roughly 80 million low-income Americans enrolled in Medicaid could be indirectly affected, as could legitimate healthcare providers who participate in the program.

Why does it matter?

Without regular checks against death records, fraudulent claims submitted under deceased providers' identities can go undetected and result in improper Medicaid payments. More frequent verification would allow states and the federal government to identify and stop this type of fraud sooner.

Where does it stand?