Vivek Ramaswamy targets Ohio Medicaid fraud while eyeing 2028 bid

Vice President JD Vance directed the anti‑fraud task force he leads for President Donald Trump to focus on Medicaid fraud in Ohio, following a Daily Wire investigation that highlighted abuses in the state’s Medicaid‑funded home‑health program. House Republicans quickly created a new task force on constitutional rights and institutional abuses, naming Ohio as its first target.

Republican nominee for Ohio governor Vivek Ramaswamy seized the moment, declaring the fight against Medicaid fraud his “absolute top priority.” He urged renegotiating Ohio’s deal with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to secure $3.1 billion in savings, echoing a waiver Tennessee secured during the Trump era. Ramaswamy also criticized the state’s Medicaid oversight, noting the recent elimination of Ohio’s Joint Medicaid Oversight Committee and ongoing investigations into contracts with claims processor Gainwell. Governor Mike DeWine defended the program’s record.

A New York Times profile later listed Ramaswamy among potential 2028 presidential prospects, noting his 2024 presidential run and suggesting the Ohio governorship could be a stepping stone. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost warned that Ramaswamy’s ambitions extend beyond the governorship, characterizing the role as “not a consolation prize.”