The anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance has suspended 447 hospices and 23 home health agencies in Los Angeles County, with suspected fraud totaling more than $600 million, according to a task force spokesperson.
The number of suspensions marks a 539% increase from the 70 facilities reported by Fox News Digital at the beginning of April. The task force, which Vance chairs as part of his role overseeing cross-agency fraud enforcement, has significantly expanded its investigation into California healthcare providers.
A spokesperson for Vance said the task force will continue its work. "Where there is fraud, the task force will find it. We will not stop until every hard-earned taxpayer dollar goes toward the honest Americans who deserve them," the spokesperson said.
A White House official echoed the commitment to aggressive enforcement. "To all fraudsters: good luck trying to hide from the Vice President's task force," the official said. "The task force is reviewing and pursuing every possible lead. These suspension numbers, and the dollar values saved, are only going to increase."
The investigation follows the task force's earlier action in Minnesota, where $259.5 million in Medicaid funds were flagged for potential blocking in February, announced jointly with CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive critics have raised concerns about the broader implications of the task force's aggressive posture. California Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, who chairs the state Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection and introduced AB 2624, has defended her legislation as a matter of worker safety.
"This is a time when we absolutely need to make sure that people are able to be protected as they seek to do the good work to protect our immigrant communities," Bonta said in comments to KSWB8. She has argued that so-called "doxxing" of businesses "isn't journalism."
The bill, which passed an Assembly committee 11-2, would expand the Safe at Home program to allow immigration support services providers to keep their addresses private. Bonta's husband is California Attorney General Rob Bonta.
Progressive advocates have noted that the task force's focus on healthcare facilities in Democratic-led states like California and Minnesota reflects a broader political strategy, though they have not directly disputed the fraud allegations themselves.
What the Right Is Saying
Republicans have praised the task force's aggressive enforcement. The White House official's statement characterized the expanding numbers as evidence of success.
Carl DeMaio, a Republican California Assemblyman, has been a vocal critic of AB 2624, which he dubbed the "Stop Nick Shirley Act" after independent journalist Nick Shirley, who has investigated healthcare fraud.
"California Democrats are trying to intimidate citizen watchdog journalists and protect waste and fraud happening in far-Left-wing NGOs," DeMaio said in a statement. "Instead of fixing the fraud problems being uncovered, Sacramento politicians are trying to shut down the people exposing them."
Shirley, who gained attention for exposing what he described as fraudulent healthcare operations in Minnesota, has criticized the California bill. "California is trying to pass a bill that would criminalize investigative journalism with misdemeanors, $10,000 fines, imprisonment, and content takedown," he posted on X.
What the Numbers Show
The task force has suspended 447 hospices and 23 home health agencies in Los Angeles County, representing a 539% increase from the 70 facilities reported on April 1.
The total suspected fraud amount exceeds $600 million, according to the task force's estimates.
In February, the task force announced plans to block $259.5 million in Medicaid funds to Minnesota, following scrutiny of state program administration.
The California bill AB 2624 passed the Assembly Committee on Privacy and Consumer Protection in an 11-2 vote.
The Bottom Line
The Vance-led task force has dramatically expanded its healthcare fraud enforcement in California, with the number of suspended facilities increasing more than fivefold in less than two weeks. The $600 million suspected fraud total represents a significant potential savings for taxpayers if the allegations are proven.
The investigation has intersected with California state legislation, as AB 2624 advances through the Assembly. The bill's supporters say it protects immigrant workers from harassment, while critics argue it would shield fraudulent operations from scrutiny.
The task force has signaled that suspension numbers and dollar figures will continue to increase as investigations expand. Healthcare providers in other states may face similar scrutiny as the task force pursues what it describes as "every possible lead" on fraud.