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What You Should Know: 

– The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has launched a new oversight initiative to ensure that enrollees in Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, or have a satisfactory immigration status. The program aims to safeguard taxpayer dollars and protect these vital programs from abuse.

– CMS will provide states with monthly enrollment reports that identify individuals whose citizenship or immigration status could not be confirmed through federal databases, including the Department of Homeland Security’s Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements (SAVE) program.

Program Integrity

States are responsible for reviewing the cases identified in these reports. They must verify the citizenship or immigration status of the flagged individuals, request additional documentation if needed, and take appropriate actions, which may include adjusting coverage or enforcing non-citizen eligibility rules. CMS is sending the first set of reports to states and expects them to take quick action. The agency will monitor progress on a monthly basis.

“Medicaid is a lifeline for vulnerable Americans — and I will protect it from abuse,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “We are tightening oversight of enrollment to safeguard taxpayer dollars and guarantee that these vital programs serve only those who are truly eligible under the law.”