Chair Rodgers Opening Statement on CMS Improper Payments

thank you chair Griffith appreciate you convening this critical hearing today on the rampant problem of improper payments in Medicare and Medicaid today's hearing gets to the heart of a dire concern the fiscal health of this nation each dollar misappropriated spent improperly or diverted from its intended use only further burdens are already staggering national debt in the case of improper payments in Medicare and Medicaid it also is a threat to the long-term ability of these programs to provide provide quality care for our nation's vulnerable populations for Medicare especially this cuts into the solvency of the program which is currently slated to run out of money in 2031 House Republicans have been raising the alarm on the need to address improper payments for years this committee has sent multiple letters to Inspector General Grim's office on issues such as payments to deceased beneficiaries and those enrolled across multiple States we're probing options for how States might strengthen their systems for beneficiary verification and eligibility detection it's appalling to see the government's disregard for taxpayer funds since 2005 the federal government has recorded a staggering 2.7 trillion dollar in improper payments a clear and unacceptable systematic failure this mismanagement indicates not only a lack of internal control but also a severe deficiency in program integrity that undermines public trust in Government Federal state cooperation is vital in healthcare delivery and I hope our hearing today will inform ideas to strengthen that partnership however my frustration mounts with an Administration that seems to prioritize spending spree over meaningful stewardship of taxpayers hard-earned money for instance the administration significantly alterated altered the budget neutrality policy with in Medicaid section 11:15 demonstrations despite these changes they've not updated the guidance outlined in an August 2018 letter to State Medicaid directors which still listed which is still listed today on the CMS website as current policy this letter originally set forth the rules for calculating budget neutrality in Medicaid demonstrations ensuring that these initiatives do not result in increased federal spending the failure to update this guidance leaves States and the public relying on outdated information potentially leading to misunderstandings and misalignments with the actual fiscal policy being implemented budget neutrality ensures that any new healthc care initiative under these demonstrations won't cost the federal government more money than existing programs these unexpected changes have profoundly changed policy Frameworks that dictate the allocation of billions ions in taxpayer dollars this approach to policymaking which implicates significant taxpayer funds is concerning I extend my gratitude to the com Controller General for addressing this critical matter in his written St statement underlying the pressing need for transparency and fiscal responsibility in managing these significant policy shifts despite our committee's efforts most notably through an October 2023 inquiry of CMS our questions have been met with disappointing silence this lack of communication is just another example of the administration's reluctance to engage in good faith with Congressional oversight and uphold a standard of transparency that is critical for public trust and the responsible management of taxpayer dollars we're at a Crossroads where continued inaction is not just irresponsible it threatens the future of these critical benefits today we seek answers to shortcoming in transparency accountability and fiscal Prudence today not only will we continue to highlight these issues we will talk about what we're doing to address them through robust robust oversight and smart policy Solutions I look forward to the conversation and I yield back