Maine suspends Medicaid payments to five providers amid fraud scrutiny

Maine Governor Janet Mills announced that the state has suspended payments to five Medicaid and Medicare providers after credible allegations of fraud, and referred one provider to law‑enforcement authorities. The enforcement action also includes terminating two contracts because of serious health‑and‑safety complaints and dis‑enrolling 28 caregivers who failed to submit a claim for a year.

The moves were highlighted during a visit by Dr. Mehmet Oz, the administrator of the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, who met with conservative media and former Republican governor Paul LePage but did not meet state officials. Mills’ office said the visit was more political than collaborative. Earlier actions this year saw the state end a contract with Paradise Residential Services over autism‑care safety concerns and suspend payments to Gateway Community Services after an audit found overpayments, which the nonprofit denied.