Feds Approve Illinois Medicaid Fraud Check

AP Report...

The federal government has approved plans by Illinois to check the addresses of Medicaid recipients against driver's license records to ensure they live in the state.  The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services yesterday informed the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services the state's plans are permissible under the laws establishing the program.  Earlier this month, officials told the Obama administration they were moving forward with plans to comb records for fraud despite the lack of federal approval.  Quinn has pledged to cut $2 billion from the program that provides health care to 2.7 million poor and disabled Illinois residents.  Officials say that of medical information cards returned as undeliverable in November, as many as 6,000 came back indicating the intended recipient has an out-of-state address.