特朗普政府正在推迟向加利福尼亚州支付额外的12亿美元医疗补助报销款，理由是担心该州一项帮助老年人和残疾人处理日常事务的项目存在潜在欺诈。医疗保险和医疗补助服务中心主任梅赫梅特·奥兹博士表示，联邦官员在担忧加利福尼亚州个人护理服务项目近年来迅速扩张后采取了行动。他说，州官员周二获悉了这一决定。
The Trump administration is deferring an additional $1.2 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California, citing concerns about potential fraud in a state program that helps older adults and people with disabilities with everyday tasks. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said federal officials took action after they grew concerned about the rapid expansion of California's personal care services program in recent years. State officials were notified of the decision Tuesday, he said.
奥兹说：“加利福尼亚州在过去三年里让该项目增长了24%。这几乎是全国其他所有州平均增长率的两倍。我们无法理解这怎么可能，因此我们正在加利福尼亚州采取重大行动。”
"California has been growing that program 24% in the last three years. That is twice the rate of every other state average in the country," Oz said. "Impossible for us to understand how that could be so we are taking major action in California."
奥兹未提供任何欺诈证据，但暗示该州为本可免费提供的服务支付了过多纳税人资金，例如“付钱让人帮你妈妈把杂货搬上楼”。他说：“你们许多人会免费帮妈妈把杂货搬上楼，但在加利福尼亚，他们会为此付给你一大笔钱。”
Oz did not provide any evidence of fraud but suggested the state was paying people too much taxpayer money to help with services that could be offered for free, like "paying somebody to carry groceries upstairs for your mom." "Many of you would carry groceries upstairs for your mom for free, but in California, they will pay you a lot of money for it," he said.
此举是政府扣留联邦资金不给加利福尼亚州的一系列努力中的最新一次。5月，政府以担心该州临终关怀和居家护理项目存在“欺诈者”为由，扣留了13亿美元的医疗补助报销款。这些行动是政府大力打击联邦医疗福利项目欺诈的广泛努力的一部分，特别是针对民主党执政的州。
The move is the latest in a series of efforts by the administration to withhold federal money from California. In May, the administration held back $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to the state over concerns about "fraudsters" in the state's hospice and in-home care programs. The actions have been part of a broad effort by the administration to rein in fraud in federal healthcare benefits programs, particularly in Democrat-led states.
加州州长加文·纽森的办公室未立即回应置评请求。但该办公室此前曾批评政府的类似做法。
Gov. Gavin Newsom's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But the office has been critical of the administration's past efforts.
5月，纽森办公室将扣留居家护理项目资金的行为称为“恶毒”且带有政治动机的攻击，针对的是旨在“让老年人和残疾人远离养老院”的服务。这些服务通常涵盖协助人员帮助人们完成洗澡、洗衣或烹饪等日常任务。它们还提供所需的护理，例如在医疗专业人员指导下进行注射。加州审计长2020年的一份报告发现，近四分之三的居家支持服务（IHSS）护理人员照顾的是家庭成员。
In May, Newsom's office called the action to withhold funds for in-home care programs a "sick" and politically motivated attack on services that are meant to "keep seniors and people with disabilities OUT of nursing homes." Those services usually cover assistants who help people with daily tasks such as bathing, laundry or cooking. They also provide needed care such as injections under the direction of a medical professional. A 2020 report by the California state auditor found that nearly three-quarters of In-home Supportive Services caregivers assist a family member.
然而，纽森办公室辩称该项目为纳税人省钱，称IHSS护理每年花费3万美元，而养老院护理每年花费13.7万美元。加州临终关怀行业过去曾出现问题，当局曾试图打击此类问题。《洛杉矶时报》2020年的一项调查发现，在该行业蓬勃发展之际，服务提供商为并非真正濒临死亡的患者向联邦医疗保险（Medicare）开具临终关怀服务和设备账单。
Newsom's office, however, has argued that the program saves taxpayers money, saying IHSS care costs $30,000 a year, while nursing home care costs $137,000 a year. California's hospice industry has had problems in the past and authorities have tried to crack down on the issue. A Times investigation in 2020 found that providers were billing Medicare for hospice services and equipment for patients who were not actually dying while the industry boomed.
由副总统万斯领导的特朗普政府试图将浪费、欺诈和滥用问题作为核心政策平台来降低医疗成本。周二，特朗普和万斯宣布了一项2500万美元的举报人计划，旨在向向联邦政府举报欺诈者的人支付现金奖励。该计划将为促成成功定罪的举报线索提供1%的佣金。特朗普表示，他将是决定谁获得奖金的唯一仲裁者。“我将决定此人是否值得，相信我，我会非常大方。我们不打算在这方面省钱，”特朗普说。
The Trump administration, led by Vice President JD Vance, has tried to focus attention on the issue of waste, fraud and abuse as a centerpiece policy platform to bring down healthcare costs. On Tuesday, Trump and Vance announced a $25-million whistleblower program designed to pay out cash to people who tip off the federal government about fraudsters. The program will offer a 1% commission for tips that lead to a successful conviction. Trump said he would be the sole arbitrator of who gets to keep the money. "I'll determine whether or not the person is deserving, and I will be very generous believe me. We are not looking to save on that," Trump said.
“我向你保证我会公平。”特朗普说，奖金将“迅速且公平地”发放。“我向你保证这对我没有任何好处，”他说。白宫将关于该决定的置评请求转交给了联邦医疗保险和医疗补助服务中心（CMS）。联邦机构未立即回应置评请求。
"I promise you I will be fair." Trump said the money will be handed out "expeditiously and fairly." "I promise there is nothing in this for me," he said. The White House referred comment about the decision to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. The federal agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.