BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana senators shelved a proposal Tuesday that would have let the legislative auditor use state income tax returns to check people's eligibility in the Medicaid program, with opponents saying the bill unfairly targets the poor.
The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee voted 6-3 against the House-backed measure by Rep. Tony Bacala, appearing to kill it for session. Democrats opposed the bill, while Republicans backed it.
Bacala, a Prairieville Republican, described the bill as a way to combat Medicaid fraud and make sure money is spent wisely in a multibillion-dollar program.
"All we're trying to do is audit the program to make sure we're getting complete, accurate data," he said, sitting at the table with Legislative Auditor Daryl Purpera. He added: "This bill does nothing but let us take a closer look."
Sen. Troy Carter, a New Orleans Democrat, said existing audit programs already allow review of Medicaid eligibility. He said the state can't afford a duplication of efforts amid its ongoing budget problems.
"There are bad actors in every direction, and we should catch them," Carter said. "My suggestion to you is we have methods in place."
Carter said while it may not be Bacala's intent, the bill "appears to be an attack on the poor, the disabled and the disenfranchised," by singling out a group of people and suggesting that they're committing fraud.
Bacala replied: "I'd like you to know in my heart this is not an attack on anybody for their economic situation."
He said he was concerned that people were taking advantage of the state because the health department doesn't have enough safeguards in place to check eligibility.
Sen. Eddie Lambert, a Gonzales Republican, defended the proposal as trying to remove people from Medicaid who shouldn't be receiving the benefits. He said they could be taking money away from low-income residents who are eligible.
"This isn't picking on poor people," Lambert said.
Sen. Jay Luneau, a Democrat from Alexandria, questioned the level of eligibility fraud that could be found and suggested the state would be spending money on a political cause.
"I don't see where it's the level of the problem that you're suggesting that it is," Luneau told Bacala and Purpera.
Earlier this session, the bill narrowly won House backing in a 59-30 vote, six votes more than needed to advance to the Senate. It is among a package of anti-Medicaid fraud bills pushed by House GOP lawmakers, most of which have failed.
Bacala said a legislatively created task force reviewing ways to combat Medicaid fraud and waste recommended the auditor compare the tax records against Medicaid eligibility decisions, to determine if people were improperly enrolled in the program.
But in an analysis done for the task force, the revenue department said the tax returns alone wouldn't be enough to properly determine if someone meets the eligibility standards for Medicaid.
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House Bill 480: www.legis.la.gov
– by Melinda Deslatte, AP reporter
