Florida Strike Force Tracks Medicaid "Crooks"

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Members of Florida's new Medicaid Strike Force say they are on the trail of crooks ripping off tax dollars from the state.

On Monday, the group met for the second time since it was created earlier this year.Florida Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Attorney General Pam Bondi are leading the strike force.

They are trying to zero in on the amount of fraud in the Medicaid system. It's estimated such fraud costs taxpayers more than $2 billion a year.

Atwater says that must end.

"If we have a $24 billion Medicaid budget, do we really want to believe that $2.4 billion of fraud every year is acceptable in Florida. We have to drive that out. That's the people's money that's just going out a side door to a crook."

Atwater says the strike force has started working with several state agencies and they are sharing data on the problem now.

Plus, he says the Department of Children and Families has already identified some business practices that may need adjusting to prevent ineligible people from receiving benefits.

"If they (DCF) can make some adjustments, that will be helpful to being sure that we're working to care for the right Floridians who need this service and not those who are inappropriately being presently qualified."

The strike force includes leaders from state government, as well as police and prosecutors.

Florida's Medicaid program serves about 3 million people. State lawmakers passed a Medicaid reform package that aims to move most of Florida's Medicaid recipients into managed care programs. The plan still needs approval from the federal government.