Bilirakis, Arrington, Miller-Meeks, Cammack, Palmer, Allen, Bean and Carter Introduce Bill to Strengthen Medicaid Oversight and Protect Taxpayer Dollars

Washington, D.C. - Congressman Gus Bilirakis (R-FL-12), a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, today introduced the Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026, bipartisan legislation to strengthen oversight of the Medicaid program, improve accountability, and better protect taxpayer dollars from waste, fraud, and abuse. The legislation is co-led by House Budget Committee Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX-19), Dr. Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA-01), Kat Cammack (R-FL-03),Gary Palmer(R-AL-06), Rick W. Allen (GA-12), Aaron Bean (R-FL-4) and Buddy Carter(R-GA-01). Companion legislation is also being introduced in the Senate by Senator Rick Scott (R-FL). Medicaid provides critical healthcare coverage to millions of America's most vulnerable individuals, including children, seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low-income families. As the program has evolved, however, longstanding oversight deficiencies identified by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) have left significant gaps in payment integrity efforts. This legislation modernizes Medicaid oversight to reflect the program's increasing reliance on managed care while implementing key GAO recommendations to improve accountability.

"Medicaid serves as a vital lifeline for millions of Americans, and we have a responsibility to ensure every dollar dedicated to the program is used appropriately and reaches those it is intended to help," said Congressman Bilirakis. "Unfortunately, gaps in oversight and inconsistent enforcement have left taxpayers vulnerable and weakened our ability to identify improper payments. The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act strengthens transparency, accountability, and oversight so we can better safeguard taxpayer resources while preserving the integrity of this essential program.Protecting Medicaid's integrity is not only about safeguarding taxpayer dollars - it is about ensuring the program remains strong and sustainable for the individuals and families who depend on it. This commonsense legislation strengthens stewardship of public funds, enhances accountability, and helps ensure Medicaid can continue serving our nation's most vulnerable populations for generations to

come."

"As a physician, I've seen firsthand how important Medicaid is for our most vulnerable patients. But every dollar lost to waste, fraud, and abuse is a dollar that isn't reaching the people the program was designed to serve," said Dr. Miller-Meeks. "Washington has allowed billions of taxpayer dollars to slip through the cracks because oversight hasn't kept pace with the program's growth. This commonsense legislation strengthens accountability, protects taxpayers, and helps preserve Medicaid for the Americans who truly depend on it."

"Medicaid is one of the largest federal programs, and taxpayers deserve confidence that every dollar is being spent as intended. The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act strengthens oversight, improves accountability, and helps identify and recover improper payments while ensuring resources are available for those who truly need them. I'm proud to support this commonsense effort to protect taxpayer dollars and improve the integrity of the Medicaid program, and I'm thankful for Rep. Bilirakis' leadership on this issue," said Rep. Gary Palmer.

"Simply put, efforts to improve Medicaid integrity are common sense. By addressing gaps in oversight and eliminating waste in the program, its resources can be refocused on providing better care for those whom the program was designed to serve: pregnant women, children, people with disabilities, low-income seniors, and other vulnerable low-income families. The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act will improve accountability, protect taxpayer dollars, and ensure improper payments can be identified and recovered across the Medicaid program. I am grateful for Congressman Bilirakis' leadership on this issue as we aim to preserve and strengthen Medicaid for those who depend on it," said Congressman Rick W. Allen.

"Medicaid fraudsters are stealing life-saving resources from vulnerable patients, and it's time we put an end to it. Just this week, 455 defendants were charged in the Trump Administration's crackdown on these taxpayer predators. We must stop the fraud before it starts, and this bill is a key step towards ensuring Americans' hard-earned dollars are used for their intended purpose," said Rep. Buddy Carter.

Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are responsible for identifying and recovering improper Medicaid payments on behalf of states and taxpayers. However, the GAO has repeatedly found significant weaknesses in the implementation and oversight of Medicaid RAC programs nationwide. Reporting requirements vary widely among states, transparency is often lacking, and broad exemptions from federal standards have resulted in inconsistent oversight and diminished effectiveness.

At the same time, a growing share of Medicaid expenditures now flows through managed care organizations, while existing payment integrity tools have not kept pace with this transformation. These shortcomings create significant blind spots, making it more difficult for federal and state officials to detect, prevent, and recover improper payments.

"Our nation's fiscal standing is in need of serious improvement, and lawmakers should be looking for every responsible opportunity to strengthen program integrity, improve oversight of managed care, and recover taxpayer dollars that were spent improperly. Expanding the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor (RAC) program is a commonsense step to help ensure Medicaid dollars are used as intended: toward care for beneficiaries, not falling through the cracks," said President Maya MacGuineas of Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget and Fix the Debt.

The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026 addresses these challenges by:

• Implementing key recommendations from the Government Accountability Office;
• Strengthening reporting requirements for Medicaid RAC programs;
• Increasing transparency and accountability across states;
• Expanding oversight of managed care payments; and
• Modernizing payment integrity efforts to better identify and recover improper payments while ensuring consistent oversight throughout the Medicaid program.

The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026 builds upon recommendations from the Government Accountability Office and reflects Congress's ongoing commitment to improving program integrity while preserving access to care for Medicaid beneficiaries. The bill is also supported by the Foundation for Government Accountability.