Wrigley pushes ND Medicaid fraud unit

North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley wants to expand the office’s Medicaid Fraud Unit.

That unit was created in 2019. Former Attorney General Wayne Stenehejm had been pushing for years to have such a unit – but found resistance in the Legislature. The 2019 Session finally passed it.

Originally, the unit was 90 percent federally-funded, 10 percent state funded. But Wrigley says the formula is now 75 percent federal, 25 percent state. However, he says the unit has been doing great work.

Wrigley says the unit has a budget of $1.2 million over a two-year period.

Wrigley says the unit is also focused on maltreatment in Medicaid-funded facilities. And he says there are what he called “diversion” cases.  “Doctors who may be overprescribing where there isn’t a need for opioids or other narcotics that can make it into the black market and help fuel an already troubling opioid abuse epidemic.”

Wrigley says the unit has six people – one attorney, two BCI agents, auditors and support staff. He says he will be asking for more people.

NDPPR/KNOX