Medicaid Fraud Implicated in Deaths of Native Americans Who Died in Phoenix Sober Living Homes, Governor Katie Hobbs Blamed

A massive Medicare fraud scheme has been unraveling in the state recently, involving sketchy sober living homes taking advantage of Native Americans, many who ended up dead. Scammers used hastily popped up sober living centers to take advantage of the program, which is operated under the state’s welfare system, the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). Estimates of deaths range from two dozen to 200 people, with the fraud costing taxpayers up to $2.5 billion. Much of the blame has been placed on Governor Katie Hobbs for not stopping the fraud.

Three wrongful death lawsuits have been filed related to the fraud. A 232-page class action lawsuit was filed in December. It alleged, “The grossly negligent and indifferent misconduct of Defendant STATE OF ARIZONA, including through its agencies AHCCCS and AZ-DHS, caused thousands of Native Americans, who are the class action Plaintiffs and proposed Class Members, to suffer and incur horrific injuries, deaths, dangerous drug addictions, fraudulent mental health services, homelessness, and other damages described herein that resulted in the so-called ‘sober living crisis.’ Defendant STATE OF ARIZONA is culpable for creating the crisis.”

A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Inspector General said the Arizona fraud schemes are “the largest that have targeted a single demographic population in recent U.S. history,” The Arizona Republic reported in June.

https://intellectualconservative.com/articles/medicaid-fraud-implicated-in-deaths-of-native-americans-who-died-in-phoenix-sober-living-homes-governor-katie-hobbs-blamed