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California’s Medi-Cal has a bad case of fraud — and there’s only one cure

Nypost · · 936 words · By Dr Mehmet Oz; Dan Brillman
Government corruption Union Influence Fiscal responsibility
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What to know about Government corruption

California’s Medi-Cal has a bad case of fraud — and there’s only one cure See more of our coverage in your search results.

Claims checked 9
Techniques found 5
Topics 3

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Left coverage
Left0%
Center83%
Right17%

6 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

California’s Medi-Cal has a bad case of fraud — and there’s only one cure See more of our coverage in your search results.

Why it matters

Add The California Post on Google Finding waste, fraud and corruption in Medicaid is a lot like diagnosing illness in a human body.

Common ground

You do an initial check-up and if something seems off, you order more tests.

Perspective signals

The tension in the story is sharpened by Loaded Language, Name Calling / Labeling, Black-and-White Fallacy: language that can make the dispute feel more urgent, personal, or adversarial than the underlying facts alone.

open_in_new Read the original article: https://nypost.com/2026/08/07/opinion/californias-medi-cal-is-sick-with-fraud-he…

psychologyPropaganda Techniques Detected

eFinder identified 5 propaganda techniques in this article. These signals explain how wording, emphasis, or missing context can shape a reader's interpretation.

warning
Loaded Language 90% confidence
Using words with strong emotional connotations to influence an audience.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing loaded language helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Name Calling / Labeling 70% confidence
Attaching a negative label to a person or group to reject them without evidence.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing name calling / labeling helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Black-and-White Fallacy 85% confidence
Presenting only two options when more exist.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing black-and-white fallacy helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Causal Oversimplification 80% confidence
Assuming a single cause for a complex issue.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing causal oversimplification helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.
warning
Exaggeration / Hyperbole 75% confidence
Overstating facts or claims to create a stronger emotional response.
Found in this article: eFinder flagged this technique because the story's framing or source language may guide readers toward a particular interpretation. Review the claim checks and evidence below to separate what is directly supported from what is implied by wording or emphasis.
Why it matters: Recognizing exaggeration / hyperbole helps readers compare the article's framing with the underlying facts and with coverage from other sources.

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 9 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 5
info Single Source 2
help Insufficient Evidence 1
report Misleading 1
info
Claim 1: “we deferred around $220 million in payments that California wanted to make for individuals with unsatisfactory immigration status, as well as a few other anomalous expenditures.”
SINGLE SOURCE
The specific figure of $220 million for individuals with unsatisfactory immigration status appears in one source, but other sources mention general holds for 'high-risk claims' without specifying the immigration amount.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — CMS EXEC, or EXEC, is an interpreted, command procedure control, computer scripting language used by the CMS EXEC Processor supplied with the IBM Virtual Machine/Conversational Monitor System (VM/CMS)…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMS_EXEC
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Church Mission Society (CMS), formerly known as the Church Missionary Society, is a British Anglican mission society working internationally with Christians. CMS was founded in 1799, and has given…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Mission_Society
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — CMS may refer to:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CMS
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 2: “Under the 2018 decision in Janus v. AFSCME, California must ensure that caregivers clearly, freely and affirmatively consent before dues can be deducted from their Medicaid payments.”
CORROBORATED
Multiple sources confirm that the Supreme Court decision in Janus v. AFSCME requires affirmative consent before deducting union dues from public employees' pay.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Employers must now obtain clear, prior and affirmative consent from public employees before they deduct money from them and forward it to a labor union. You know…they have to do what every other organ…
https://www.freedomfoundation.com/litigation/freedom-foundat…
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web search NEUTRAL — The U.S. Supreme Court, in Janus v. AFSCME, recently ruled that withholding union dues or fees from public employees’ pay without their consent is a violation of their First Amendment rights under the…
https://www.mackinac.org/s2019-03
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web search NEUTRAL — The court “should make clear that government employers and unions must obtain workers’ affirmative consent before deducting any union dues or fees from their wages,” Friedrichs said in her brief.
https://fee.org/articles/supreme-court-strikes-down-mandator…
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Claim 3: “In response to the state’s spike in IHSS spending, we deferred over $390 million”
CORROBORATED
The claim that over $390 million was deferred due to a spike in IHSS spending is explicitly stated in a web search result and referenced by FactCheck.org as being tied to the IHSS program.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal or MediCal) is the California implementation of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons wi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medi-Cal
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web search NEUTRAL — In response to the state’s spike in IHSS spending, we deferred over $390 million, to account for the amount of California’s expenditure growth that is above the national average, until the state can e…
https://nypost.com/2026/08/07/opinion/californias-medi-cal-i…
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web search NEUTRAL — Analysts Say Policy, Demographic Changes Driving California’s Home Care Spending. As for California, Oz said about three-quarters of the $867 million being deferred is tied to the state’s In-Home Supp…
https://www.factcheck.org/2026/08/ozs-medicaid-fraud-claims-…
+ 1 more evidence source
help
Claim 4: “Dan Brillman is the director of Medicaid and deputy administrator at CMS.”
INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE
No evidence was found in the provided search results to confirm or deny Dan Brillman's role at CMS.
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Claim 5: “We also deferred nearly $255 million in suspicious claims from caregivers who billed Medicaid for services to dead people, who claimed they treated more patients than they could handle at one time; who showed up as statistical outliers among top IHSS billers; or who exhibited other irregularities.”
CORROBORATED
The specific amount (nearly $255 million) and the reasons (billing for dead people, impossible patient volumes) are corroborated by both a direct report and FactCheck.org (which notes $250M plus $5M).
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal or MediCal) is the California implementation of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons wi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medi-Cal
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — IHSS wages generally count as income for child support even though they’re tax-exempt. Learn how California courts treat caregiver pay when calculating support.
https://legalclarity.org/does-ihss-count-as-income-for-child…
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — We also deferred nearly $255 million in suspicious claims from caregivers who billed Medicaid for services to dead people, who claimed they treated more patients than they could handle at one time; wh…
https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/california-medi…
+ 1 more evidence source
info
Claim 6: “Over the past two years, the cost of this program [IHSS] grew by almost 24%, nearly twice as fast as personal care expenditures in the rest of the country”
SINGLE SOURCE
While evidence confirms the existence and nature of the IHSS program, the specific statistical claim regarding 24% growth and the comparison to the rest of the country is not corroborated by the provided independent sources.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Home care (also referred to as domiciliary care, social care, or in-home care) is supportive care provided in the home. Care may be provided by licensed healthcare professionals who provide medical tr…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_care_in_the_United_States
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The California Medical Assistance Program (Medi-Cal or MediCal) is the California implementation of the federal Medicaid program serving low-income individuals, including families, seniors, persons wi…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medi-Cal
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Supportive housing is a combination of housing and services intended as a cost-effective way to help people live more stable, productive lives, and is an active "community services and funding" stream…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supportive_housing
+ 3 more evidence sources
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Claim 7: “we deferred payment of $867 million to California for the second quarter of 2026”
CORROBORATED
Multiple web search results confirm that CMS deferred $867 million (specifically $867.5 million) to California in July 2026.
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI; also known as the CMS Innovation Center) is an organization of the United States government under the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services …
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Medicare_and_Medica…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is a federal agency within the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that administers the Medicare program and works in partner…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centers_for_Medicare_&_Medicai…
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wikipedia NEUTRAL — Medicaid is a government program in the United States that provides health insurance for adults and children with limited income and resources. The program is partially funded and primarily managed by…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medicaid
+ 3 more evidence sources
report
Claim 8: “the 1,500% spike in the number of California hospice providers between 2010 and 2022”
MISLEADING
The 1,500% spike refers specifically to hospice agencies in Los Angeles County, not the entire state of California, as the claim implies.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — The 2022 report sounded the alarm over a 1,500% increase in the number of hospice agencies in Los Angeles County since 2010. The auditor noted that Los Angeles had "six-and-a-half times the nationwide…
https://www.aol.com/news/california-building-dozens-health-c…
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web search NEUTRAL — "The number of home health agencies in California almost doubled between 2019 and 2024."Finally, L.A. County should be ashamed of the 2022 California State Auditor Report, showing that their number of…
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/amy-curtis/2026/01/28/dr-oz-ca…
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web search NEUTRAL — California's state auditor raised concerns in 2022 about the substantial 1,500% increase in hospice companies in LA County since 2010. A letter was sent to Gov. Gavin Newsom and state legislators on M…
https://world.harianbasis.co/los-angeles-hospice-fraud-inves…
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Claim 9: “Dr. Mehmet Oz is the 17th administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).”
CORROBORATED
Multiple independent web sources confirm Dr. Mehmet Oz is the 17th Administrator of CMS.
travel_explore
web search NEUTRAL — Dr. Oz currently serves as the 17th Administrator of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
https://www.doctoroz.com/
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web search NEUTRAL — Dr. Oz serves as the 17th Administrator for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services under HHS Secretary Robert Kennedy, Jr., and President Donald Trump.
https://m.search.yahoo.com/v1/en-US/w/sapp?ei=UTF-8&p=Dr.+Me…
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web search NEUTRAL — Mehmet Oz deliverd remarks upon swearing in as the 17th Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at White House on April 18.#fullspeec...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOxLGbYvqfU
info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.