LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: AG IS AGGRESSIVE ON MEDICAID FRAUD

To the editor:

The Southeast Missourian is incorrect on several points of its July 12 editorial ("AG is too lax with audits of Medicaid program"), not the least of which is the headline. The attorney general is not responsible for audits of the Medicaid program. Those are the responsibility of the Department of Social Services. In contrast to your incorrect headline, Attorney General Jay Nixon is aggressive in his efforts to prosecute Medicaid fraud and is the first attorney general in the history of Missouri to take action against Medicaid providers.

Until Nixon took office in 1993, Missouri was one of only a few states that did not have a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in the state attorney general's office. His predecessors chose not to have a fraud unit, even though federal funding had been available since 1977. Nixon quickly established one and secured federal funding. At the time, he correctly pointed out that if 40 other states have active units and Missouri has none, those who want to rip off the system will focus on Missouri.

Since the establishment of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Nixon has recovered more than $7.9 million for Missouri from fraud prosecutions or settlements. In addition, he has also prosecuted those who have abused elderly Medicaid patients living in nursing homes and is working to strengthen Missouri laws to allow more aggressive actions in that regard.

Nixon has supported changes in Missouri law to allow his office to become involved earlier in the investigation of abuse cases in local nursing homes. Current law requires the attorney general to provide prosecutors with the right of first refusal on a prosecution of this nature. This situation delays investigations and can hamper the office's ability to appropriately investigate cases in a timely manner. It should be pointed out that state Sen. Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau opposed such a change in legislation.

MARY STILL

Director of Communications and Policy

Missouri Attorney General's Office

Jefferson City, Mo.