Maine GOP continues criticism of Mills administration regarding fraud

AUGUSTA, Maine (WABI) - Maine Legislative Republicans are once again calling for action from Gov. Mills in regards to fraud.

In early February, the Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz, sent a letter to Mills looking for answers to fraud in the MaineCare program.

In response, Mills asked for an additional 30 days which Oz denied.

Maine Republicans say the Democrats’ strategy has been to delay until the next election without anything happening. They add that it seems as if there’s a pay first, verify second system in Maine.

“They think if they delay and push something off enough that after awhile, it’ll get forgotten about,” said House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor. “That’s their strategy when it comes to this accountability stuff, and they’re hoping that they can survive until November. Again, if they plan on winning the elections, there won’t be any accountability there, and if Donald Trump hadn’t won the last election, nobody would be talking about this stuff except for us.“

Mills say she plans on responding within the original 30-day time frame.

In a statement, she said in part, “Addressing allegations of fraud is – and should be – a collective, professional effort between the State and Federal government, not a political cudgel from a President desperately trying to distract from his failed agenda.”

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