Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) told a Democratic witness at a congressional hearing to “put down the bong” for denying the pervasiveness of financial fraud in Medicaid, the joint state-federal health insurance program for low-income people. Andy Schneider, professor of public policy at Georgetown University, received a tongue-lashing from Kennedy on Tuesday for saying he did not believe states were “cheating” in their administration of Medicaid by allowing noneligible people to stay on the program.“I don’t mean to be rude to you, but if you really believe there’s no cheating, you need to put down the bong,” Kennedy said. “That’s one of the most extraordinary statements I’ve ever heard.”
The fiery exchange on Tuesday morning took place during a hearing about Medicaid program changes from the GOP One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted last year, marking the first hearing by the new committee chairman, Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI), since the sudden death of Sen. Lindsey Graham.When asked by Kennedy what to do with fraudsters in Medicaid, Schneider said that he does not believe states are “cheating” in the entitlement program.“Sir, I’ve worked on this program for a long time, but I don’t believe states are cheating,” Schneider said.“Do you believe in the tooth fairy, sir?” Kennedy said. “Do you believe in the Easter Bunny? Do you believe that Jimmy Hoffa died of natural causes?”Schneider, who said in his written testimony that he has 50 years of practical and research experience with Medicaid implementation, was called as a Democratic witness and highlighted concerns about how the GOP bill’s requirements for income verification and work requirements will cut Medicaid enrollment and raise uninsured rates.Most of the program changes in the bill were ostensibly to cut down on fraud in the program, particularly the provision requiring states to reexamine income eligibility for recipients every six months instead of annually.Brian Blase, president of the free-market Paragon Health Institute and a GOP witness for the hearing, told Kennedy that “many states cheat” in their administration of the Medicaid program, which uses both federal and state dollars. “There are definitely some states that have a massive problem of improper enrollments,” Blase said. Since the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year, the Trump administration has uncovered hundreds of millions of dollars in program abuse through hospice care, autism care centers, and other improperly verified services fraudulently billing Medicaid.HOW DID FAUCI’S DIARIES MAKE IT PUBLIC? NO ONE WILL SAYIn July, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that it would be withholding $1 billion in Medicaid reimbursements from California and Minnesota after both states failed to comply with requests for more information about services that are at high risk of financial abuse.Kenned, at the end of his questioning period, said he was glad Schneider had water at his table “because your pants are on fire.”
