Ohio Legislators Say Gov. DeWine Past Medicaid Fraud Vetoes Could Have Impacted Current Problem

(5-16-26) Some state legislators say two past vetoes on Medicaid fraud by Gov. DeWine could have impacted the current problem.

Top Ohio Republican said Gov. Mike DeWine vetoed a bill to audit Medicaid because it would be "disruptive," and that the Office of Medicaid is violating a law to report fraud to the legislature. https://t.co/8cTM7SXvz6

— Luke Rosiak (@lukerosiak) May 15, 2026

House Speaker Matt Huffman (R-Lima) is talking with other leaders about the possibility of new legislation on Medicaid fraud. But he said lawmakers have tried to deal with protecting the program from fraud in the past.

Huffman told reporters on Wednesday-

“In 2019, the General Assembly passed as part of its budget the requirement that the state auditor audit Medicaid and its various agencies, a performance audit and a whole number of other things, things that would look at what’s in the reports of this, Gov. [Mike] DeWine vetoed that.”

Huffman said the provision requiring the state auditor to audit the Medicaid program, after putting a similar provision in the budget in 2021. The provision would require the Department of Medicaid to use artificial intelligence and technology to clarify who should be on the Medicaid rolls, who shouldn’t be and where the money is going. He said the effort was funded and a company was set up to do the work for Medicaid. Huffman said he talked to the Department of Medicaid director at that time but it went nowhere. But DeWine vetoed it twice. 

Huffman said-

“The buck stops with him.”