U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli says he has worked with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz to shut down fraudulent hospice centers on ‘Fox Report.’

As allegations of hospice fraud mountin California, Republican congressional candidate Jenny Rae Le Roux is calling out state leaders, accusing them of failing to act as oversight gaps allowed the issue to escalate.

"Every dollar was dispersed from the State of California to these actual practice centers, and every bit of oversight that was lacking — which was 100% of it — it falls onto the State of California. So even though the federal government has had to step in and doGavin Newsom's job for him to actually go after this, this is squarely a California issue," Le Roux told Fox News Digital.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office has pushed back on claims that the governor has not acted to combat the issue, arguing the federal government is responsible for enforcement.

"FACT: The state has no role in the Medicare billing or payment process. We are glad the Trump Admin is taking action to combat fraud. Now, if Trump could stop pardoning fraudsters—and hold them accountable—that would be great!,"Newsom's press officewrote on X in response to a CBS report on hospice fraud in California.

VANCE ANTI-FRAUD TASK FORCE SUSPENDS 221 CALIFORNIA HOSPICE AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS SO FAR

Allegations of hospice fraud have mounted in California, many of which stem from Los Angeles County.(Ricky Carioti/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

While the state does not process Medicare payments, it doeslicense hospice providers, effectively determining which organizations can enroll in the federal program.

California has been hit with allegations of widespread hospice fraud, prompting federal action.CBS News foundthat of roughly 1,800 hospices in Los Angeles County, 742 were still operating despite multiple red flags. In one area, nearly 500 hospice companies were operating within a three-mile radius.

In March 2022, theCalifornia state auditorwarned Newsom and state lawmakers of "a rapid increase in the number of hospice agencies with no clear correlation to increased need," along with concerns about geographic clustering, long patient stays, high discharge rates and the possible use of stolen identities.

Source: California Post – Breaking California News, Photos & Videos