Officials say $1.3 billion in Medicaid money to California will be deferred over suspicions of fraud

Vice President JD Vance speaks to the media from the Eisenhower Executive Office Building on the White House campus, Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) 2026-05-13T14:41:53Z Washington (AP) — Vice President JD Vance on Wednesday announced new steps in the Trump administration’s initiative to root out fraud in federal health programs, including a $1.3 billion deferral in Medicaid reimbursements to California. “These fraudulent health care providers are getting rich by giving people medications they don’t even need,” Vance said during an event at the White House, adding that taxpayers and program beneficiaries are victimized by such fraud. The Republican administration also is imposing a six-month freeze on some new Medicare enrollments and warning states to investigate Medicaid fraud or risk losing funding, officials said. The moves are part of Vance’s anti-fraud task force , which has been accelerating its messaging before the November elections. The panel set up by President Donald Trump seeks to crack down on potential misuse of public money. Vance, a potential 2028 White House hopeful, has used the high-profile assignment from Trump to remind Americans struggling with high costs that he is trying to claw back taxpayer dollars. Vance has promoted the task force’s work during campaign stops for Republican candidates and is expected to focus on the effort Thursday in Maine, which has closely watched primary races scheduled for June 9. The steps come as people across the United States have raised concerns about rising health costs and barriers to access, sometimes from the federal government’s own actions. New work requirements in Medicaid, for example, are expected to strain hospitals around the country and result in millions of enrollees losing their health coverage. The administration contends its vigorous fraud-busting efforts will help prevent wrongdoing in Medicaid and Medicare while preserving funding and resources for those most in need. (