- Fugitives
- Nov 4, 2026
Dr. Oz CALLED Florida A Medicaid Fraud Hotspot As DeSantis CUT OFF 3,200 Providers
In March 2026, CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz called Florida a "hotspot" for health care fraud and gave the state 30 days to explain how it catches fraud in its $35 billion Medicaid program. By June, Gov. Ron DeSantis and AHCA Secretary Shevaun Harris said Florida had cut off more than 3,200 providers and saved $136 million, and that the state was "closed to fraud."
So which is it? This episode puts both sides' numbers next to each other: the state's savings, the size of the program, and federal prosecutors' estimate of $309 million to $1 billion in alleged fraud in Florida in 2025.
News clips are used for commentary and reporting under fair use.
Presumption of innocence
People charged in the cases mentioned are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Sources
CMS letter to Florida (March 17, 2026); Governor's Office, Medicaid Integrity Initiative press conference (June 12, 2026); U.S. Attorney's Office, S.D. Fla. takedown (June 2026); reporting by WFLA 8, Fox Business, The National Desk, NBC 6, News4JAX, FOX 4.
