Musk’s DOGE Chasing ‘Big Money Fraud’ with Access to Medicare, Medicaid Payments

Elon Musk’s new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) now has on-site access to payments and contracting information from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), which oversees the healthcare coverage to more than one third of Americans, as it seeks to root out embedded deep state fraud and waste.

CMS, a part of the Department of Health and Human Service with 6,710 employees of its own, disbursed $1.5 trillion in outlays in fiscal year 2024, about 22 percent of total federal spending

Musk is in no doubt about what now lies ahead as it digs into those payments, taking to social media and declaring: “Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening”

Musk’s team is yet to access the database that includes enrollees personal data and the DOGE access is “read-only,” meaning it cannot make changes to the system but it can pinpoint areas of fraud in the process.

“CMS has two senior Agency veterans — one focused on policy and one focused on operations — who are leading the collaboration with DOGE, including ensuring appropriate access to CMS systems and technology,” CMS said in a statement Wednesday to media sites confirming DOGE access.

“We are taking a thoughtful approach to see where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient use of resources in line with meeting the goals of President Trump.”

UPI reports more than $100 billion in improper Medicare and Medicaid payments were made in 2023, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office.

The $51.5 billion with Medicare and $21 billion with Medicaid represent 43 percent of all improper payments in the government.

The Wall Street Journal first reported DOGE’s work at the agency with access to payment and contracting systems but it has not yet received access to databases containing identifiable health information about Medicare and Medicaid enrollees.

Musk has vowed to cut between $1 trillion and $2 trillion from the federal budget. Much of that budget is for Social Security, Medicaid, military and debt payments.

RELATED: “Coup!” Dems Melt Down About DOGE Gutting Deep State

Medicare, the federal health program for adults 65 and over and the disabled, has about 66 million people while Medicaid and the Children’s Health Insurance Program covers nearly 80 million. About 12 million Americans receive Medicare and Medicare.

The DOGE team have also accessed similar systems at the Treasury Department in the quest for fraud and met at the Labor Department on Wednesday afternoon as part of their mandate to cut federal spending and the size of the government. USAID saw all its staff put on leave.

Follow Simon Kent on Twitter: Follow @SunSimonKent or e-mail to: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.