Congressman Kennedy Introduces Bill to Strengthen Medicaid Integrity and Save Taxpayer Dollars

Washington, D.C. (March 27, 2025) Today, Congressman Kennedy (UT-03) introduced the Ensuring Medicaid Eligibility Act, a piece of legislation aimed at improving Medicaid integrity, safeguarding taxpayer dollars, and restoring state control over Medicaid eligibility checks.

The bill aims to repeal the costly Biden Administration's Streamlining Medicaid Eligibility Rule, which limits states to conducting only one eligibility check per year and mandates lengthy "reconsideration" periods for applicants. This rule has led to inefficiencies and unnecessary delays in determining Medicaid eligibility, resulting in billions of taxpayer dollars being wasted. In addition, the bill will require verification of citizenship or proper immigration status before enrollment (a cost-saving measure estimated at $5 billion, according to the FGA) and restore states' ability to conduct regular eligibility checks, with a minimum frequency of quarterly checks. This change is expected to save $273 billion.

"It’s time to crack down on the fraud, waste, and abuse occurring within our Medicaid system. As we assess the state of Medicaid, we find that roughly one in every four dollars spent is improper, with more than 80% of these payments stemming from eligibility errors. Medicaid is critically important for countless Americans, and this bill will ensure that those who truly need it can continue to access the care they depend on," said Congressman Kennedy