1 00:00:12,160 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: This always happens when it comes to really high profile guests. 2 00:00:15,880 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: I usually give it about a fifty to fifty. 3 00:00:20,600 --> 00:00:22,080 Speaker 2: Because stuff happens all the time. 4 00:00:22,360 --> 00:00:25,319 Speaker 1: Hour two here on a Thursday twin Cities News Talk 5 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:29,000 Speaker 1: AM eleven thirty and one oh three five FM, we 6 00:00:29,080 --> 00:00:34,000 Speaker 1: are expected to hear from doctor Oz. He's been demanding 7 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:36,800 Speaker 1: that walls take aggressive action to stop the Medicaid fraud 8 00:00:36,880 --> 00:00:41,519 Speaker 1: or risk losing federal funding, and Minnesota is supposed to 9 00:00:41,600 --> 00:00:46,480 Speaker 1: be providing weekly updates on that particular issue. So we'll 10 00:00:46,479 --> 00:00:48,839 Speaker 1: await his phone call and hopefully get a chance to 11 00:00:48,840 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 1: find out just how those updates are going. In the meantime, 12 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:53,400 Speaker 1: I do have other things to talk about. 13 00:00:53,440 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 2: I am always prepared in the off chance that my 14 00:00:58,520 --> 00:00:59,400 Speaker 2: guests don't arrive. 15 00:01:00,120 --> 00:01:02,440 Speaker 1: I actually got a fist punk from Devin and the 16 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:03,639 Speaker 1: Master Control, both next door. 17 00:01:03,680 --> 00:01:08,399 Speaker 2: I think that's the most animated you've ever been. I 18 00:01:08,440 --> 00:01:12,520 Speaker 2: know you're a big sports guy. I get it all right, 19 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:13,199 Speaker 2: let's go here. 20 00:01:13,400 --> 00:01:16,959 Speaker 1: Speaking of fraud, we're gonna talk more about fraud. Apparently 21 00:01:17,040 --> 00:01:19,959 Speaker 1: Representative elliot Ing and also running for state Auditor, has 22 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:23,399 Speaker 1: some new fraud to detail with us on the show. 23 00:01:23,440 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 2: So I'm very much looking forward to that. 24 00:01:25,840 --> 00:01:28,360 Speaker 1: I found out by the way, we got to talk 25 00:01:28,400 --> 00:01:31,800 Speaker 1: to Elliott about this. But regarding paid family medical leave, 26 00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:34,200 Speaker 1: like you don't even have to be working to get it. 27 00:01:34,240 --> 00:01:38,600 Speaker 1: So there's a scenario within paid family medical leave wherein say, 28 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:41,480 Speaker 1: if you're a teacher and you want to take the 29 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,360 Speaker 1: paid family medical leave time off if you time it. 30 00:01:46,319 --> 00:01:47,919 Speaker 1: So let me back up really quick. So a teacher 31 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,680 Speaker 1: works during the school year, they get paid their salary, 32 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:52,360 Speaker 1: and then they have time off during the summer. Now 33 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:55,160 Speaker 1: there's other responsibilities, but you have a chunk of time 34 00:01:55,160 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: off during the summer, but you're still you're making money, 35 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,000 Speaker 1: you know, based off your total salary for the year. Right, Okay, 36 00:02:00,280 --> 00:02:03,640 Speaker 1: So with paid family medical leave, if you time it, 37 00:02:03,800 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: you come up with it with whatever excuse you need 38 00:02:05,840 --> 00:02:09,320 Speaker 1: to take care of your neighbor's dog, whatever, because it's 39 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 1: not going to be turned down. The first person that 40 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,239 Speaker 1: gets turned down by their employer over paid family medical 41 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:16,000 Speaker 1: leave is going to end up in some sort of 42 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:20,240 Speaker 1: litigation lawsuit being used. If they were to go and 43 00:02:20,280 --> 00:02:23,880 Speaker 1: time it out, they could actually take the paid family 44 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:27,360 Speaker 1: medical time leave off over the summer and get paid 45 00:02:28,560 --> 00:02:31,600 Speaker 1: that's above what they're already getting paid. So now they 46 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 1: have time off they would have had already. They'll still 47 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:36,399 Speaker 1: take that time off, but now they're going to go 48 00:02:36,760 --> 00:02:41,239 Speaker 1: and get paid for it. The other question I have too, 49 00:02:41,320 --> 00:02:43,680 Speaker 1: is that if I get twenty weeks paid medical leave 50 00:02:43,720 --> 00:02:47,120 Speaker 1: and I already get like like like three weeks vacation, 51 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:48,960 Speaker 1: does that mean that I could actually go and take 52 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:51,679 Speaker 1: paid family medical leave for twenty weeks and then take 53 00:02:51,680 --> 00:02:53,520 Speaker 1: the three weeks vacation on top of that, so I 54 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 1: can get a total of twenty three weeks. 55 00:02:54,960 --> 00:02:56,239 Speaker 2: Off, like I don't even have to be here. 56 00:02:57,320 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 1: I would never do that because I would never want 57 00:02:59,480 --> 00:03:02,919 Speaker 1: to put my employer in that position. 58 00:03:03,000 --> 00:03:06,680 Speaker 2: I like what I do, all right. Very pleased to 59 00:03:06,760 --> 00:03:07,600 Speaker 2: welcome to the show. 60 00:03:10,000 --> 00:03:13,639 Speaker 1: Centers for Medicine and Medicaid Services Administrator doctor mem and 61 00:03:13,720 --> 00:03:15,600 Speaker 1: Oz you know him is doctor Oz. It's a pleasure 62 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:17,320 Speaker 1: to speak with you, sir. Thank you so much for 63 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: joining the show this morning. 64 00:03:19,560 --> 00:03:21,000 Speaker 3: Great honor. Thank you for having me on. 65 00:03:21,120 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 4: And it's unfortunately under circumstances there are uh that are 66 00:03:24,919 --> 00:03:27,720 Speaker 4: tough ones to stomach. And this is I believe and 67 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:29,760 Speaker 4: the same as staff who've been here for you. These 68 00:03:29,760 --> 00:03:31,960 Speaker 4: are the career people have been here for decades say 69 00:03:31,960 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 4: they've never seen anything like the fraud that's going on 70 00:03:35,480 --> 00:03:37,880 Speaker 4: right now in Minnesota that we think is going to 71 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 4: amount to over a billion. 72 00:03:38,920 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 3: Dollars and it's a dere election to duty. 73 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 4: It's frustrating, and I'd love to be able to speak 74 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:44,320 Speaker 4: with you a little bit. 75 00:03:45,440 --> 00:03:46,680 Speaker 3: It's not a lighthearted topic. 76 00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:48,280 Speaker 4: We've got lots of other things we can talk about 77 00:03:48,280 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 4: that are great news, but this is really bad. 78 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:52,920 Speaker 1: No, it is bad, and it's it's interesting, doctor Oz, 79 00:03:53,000 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: because from individuals, you know, from my position, you know, 80 00:03:57,680 --> 00:04:01,360 Speaker 1: having almost a decade's worth of radio time here in Minnesota, 81 00:04:01,520 --> 00:04:03,960 Speaker 1: people that follow politics, like, we've known about this for 82 00:04:04,000 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: a long time, and you know, we've been shocked and 83 00:04:07,000 --> 00:04:10,680 Speaker 1: appalled at the level of fraud that's been exposed here locally, 84 00:04:10,880 --> 00:04:13,360 Speaker 1: and it just simply did not gain any national attention. 85 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:15,560 Speaker 1: And there was a lot of us that believed that 86 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:21,200 Speaker 1: if this did get national attention, then we could actually 87 00:04:21,200 --> 00:04:23,120 Speaker 1: go and do something about it, because nothing's been done 88 00:04:23,120 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: about it at the state level. So it's really interesting 89 00:04:25,720 --> 00:04:28,880 Speaker 1: from like my perspective to hear your perspective on it. 90 00:04:29,000 --> 00:04:32,640 Speaker 1: Finding this out because we've been seeing this now for 91 00:04:32,680 --> 00:04:35,640 Speaker 1: a long long time, and we're just very thankful, even 92 00:04:35,680 --> 00:04:38,960 Speaker 1: though it's an incredibly difficult situation that something is actually 93 00:04:39,040 --> 00:04:42,360 Speaker 1: being done. I know that you were looking through CMS 94 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:46,440 Speaker 1: to get weekly updates from the Walls Administration about efforts 95 00:04:46,480 --> 00:04:50,640 Speaker 1: to rein in this fraud. Has the Walls administration, has government? 96 00:04:50,960 --> 00:04:55,120 Speaker 1: Has a Governor Tim Wall's been complying with those requests. 97 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: Where do things stand now regarding the federal investigations into 98 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:01,720 Speaker 1: what's been happening here in Minnesota, Well, the governor has. 99 00:05:01,680 --> 00:05:06,240 Speaker 4: Not responded directly, but the Health Department of Unnesota has 100 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:10,240 Speaker 4: and we are starting our weekly reviews of the audit 101 00:05:10,960 --> 00:05:14,040 Speaker 4: in a week. And this is the first step because 102 00:05:14,240 --> 00:05:16,440 Speaker 4: in addition to having weekly audits so we know what's 103 00:05:16,440 --> 00:05:18,679 Speaker 4: going on, we want them to give us a corrective 104 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 4: action plan by the end of this month, because it's 105 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:23,880 Speaker 4: not just about tracking how bad it is now, but 106 00:05:23,920 --> 00:05:25,280 Speaker 4: where's it going and what are you going to do 107 00:05:25,320 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 4: about this? 108 00:05:25,800 --> 00:05:27,120 Speaker 3: Because these are by. 109 00:05:27,000 --> 00:05:29,240 Speaker 4: By the way, by the end of January, if they 110 00:05:29,279 --> 00:05:31,880 Speaker 4: have not been able to take meaningful action, we're going 111 00:05:31,920 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 4: to shut down funding to these fourteen suspect programs that 112 00:05:35,960 --> 00:05:38,680 Speaker 4: puts a lot of people at risk. And this is 113 00:05:38,680 --> 00:05:41,320 Speaker 4: the point I really wanted to make to anyone listening. 114 00:05:41,480 --> 00:05:43,680 Speaker 4: This is not just about stamping out waste, fraud and abuse. 115 00:05:43,680 --> 00:05:46,360 Speaker 4: That's critical, But when you don't do it, the people 116 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:49,360 Speaker 4: who pay the price are the folks, the voterable people 117 00:05:49,839 --> 00:05:52,719 Speaker 4: from these programs were designed. So you have an autism 118 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 4: program now, and I'm sure you've reported on this. I 119 00:05:55,400 --> 00:05:59,320 Speaker 4: summarized it in the post I did last week. It 120 00:05:59,320 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 4: was supposed to be a three million dollar program. It's 121 00:06:01,720 --> 00:06:03,920 Speaker 4: been over four hundred million dollars. 122 00:06:03,920 --> 00:06:04,800 Speaker 3: Now how do you do that? 123 00:06:05,000 --> 00:06:08,200 Speaker 4: You do it by getting people to lie about whether 124 00:06:08,240 --> 00:06:10,000 Speaker 4: their children have autism. 125 00:06:10,120 --> 00:06:11,120 Speaker 3: You get it by having. 126 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:15,320 Speaker 4: Scoundrels pay money bidding wars to get these kids into 127 00:06:15,360 --> 00:06:18,600 Speaker 4: their their there they're kiddy because they can make so 128 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,599 Speaker 4: much money off them. But the real per party is 129 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:24,480 Speaker 4: not just the taxpayer, it's the parents whose kids really 130 00:06:24,480 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 4: have autism. 131 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,360 Speaker 3: What happens to them when I've got to shut the. 132 00:06:27,320 --> 00:06:29,880 Speaker 4: Whole program down because I can't tell good from bad? 133 00:06:30,400 --> 00:06:32,560 Speaker 4: How do you separate the week from the chaff? When 134 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 4: you've got so much corruption, and almost all of it 135 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:38,279 Speaker 4: seems to be in areas where the most vulnerable population 136 00:06:38,320 --> 00:06:40,640 Speaker 4: is a's just the homeless substance use disorder. 137 00:06:40,600 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 3: I mean, who wants to. 138 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:45,120 Speaker 4: Take away homes from people in Minnesota in the freezing cold. Well, 139 00:06:45,160 --> 00:06:46,760 Speaker 4: if you go to take a program from a million 140 00:06:46,800 --> 00:06:49,520 Speaker 4: dollars or two million dollars to one hundred million dollars, 141 00:06:49,720 --> 00:06:52,799 Speaker 4: it's not sustainable. And we're going to stick the Minnesota 142 00:06:52,880 --> 00:06:56,839 Speaker 4: taxpayer with the bill because right now they're Minnesota. I 143 00:06:56,960 --> 00:06:59,560 Speaker 4: believe leadership allowed this to go on because it wasn't 144 00:06:59,560 --> 00:07:02,599 Speaker 4: coming out of pockets taxpayers in Texas, in Florida, and 145 00:07:02,640 --> 00:07:04,360 Speaker 4: New York, California, they were. 146 00:07:04,279 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 3: Paying the bill. 147 00:07:05,160 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 4: Once we say we're done, not only is there a 148 00:07:07,680 --> 00:07:10,360 Speaker 4: moratorium of new people entering it, but we're not going 149 00:07:10,440 --> 00:07:12,520 Speaker 4: to pay for the program at all. That's what we 150 00:07:12,560 --> 00:07:15,880 Speaker 4: did with the housing program. If you're if you're homeless 151 00:07:15,880 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 4: at a hospital in Minnesota, need to go to a 152 00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:19,120 Speaker 4: place to stay together out of the hospital, we're not 153 00:07:19,160 --> 00:07:19,960 Speaker 4: paying for anymore. 154 00:07:20,040 --> 00:07:21,000 Speaker 3: It's on you. 155 00:07:21,040 --> 00:07:23,320 Speaker 4: So all these great things that were being tried by 156 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 4: folks who are progressive and thoughtful and trying to make 157 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:28,680 Speaker 4: new and better ways work, it doesn't happen. But let 158 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:31,320 Speaker 4: me quote someone that you'll know well, Hubant Humphrey. I 159 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:35,320 Speaker 4: work in the Humphrey Building in Washington. The atrium the 160 00:07:35,480 --> 00:07:37,600 Speaker 4: entryway of the building is a beautiful quote from your 161 00:07:37,760 --> 00:07:41,040 Speaker 4: past senator and it's and vice president, and it says, 162 00:07:41,320 --> 00:07:45,080 Speaker 4: the moral obligation of government is to take care of 163 00:07:45,080 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 4: those at the dawn of life. Those are the children, 164 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:50,360 Speaker 4: those are the twilight of life, the seniors, and those 165 00:07:50,440 --> 00:07:53,000 Speaker 4: who are living in the shadows. That's who are supposed 166 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:56,200 Speaker 4: to benefit from these programs when you allow people to steal, 167 00:07:56,240 --> 00:07:58,960 Speaker 4: so millions are not when you let people steal from 168 00:07:59,040 --> 00:08:01,920 Speaker 4: these programs, are the people you're hurting. It never crossed 169 00:08:01,960 --> 00:08:05,560 Speaker 4: anyone's mind sixty years ago when Medicaid medicare created that 170 00:08:05,800 --> 00:08:10,480 Speaker 4: scoundrels would infiltrate. But I'm seeing this now across the country. 171 00:08:10,680 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 4: It's worse in Minnesota than in a lot of places 172 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:17,360 Speaker 4: because it's in a duty by your governor's administration, and 173 00:08:17,400 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 4: there wasn't anybody really going after what seems to have 174 00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:22,280 Speaker 4: been known by everyone in Minnesota but no one outside 175 00:08:22,280 --> 00:08:24,720 Speaker 4: the state. But we have to be aggressive across the 176 00:08:24,760 --> 00:08:25,800 Speaker 4: country on these issues. 177 00:08:26,480 --> 00:08:30,640 Speaker 1: Talking with doctor Oz again, a CMS administrator, you mentioned 178 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:32,760 Speaker 1: the withholding of the funding. 179 00:08:32,960 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 2: What else can be. 180 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:37,760 Speaker 1: Done at the federal level, regarding the specific fraud here 181 00:08:37,840 --> 00:08:39,760 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, I think, you know, I think most of 182 00:08:39,840 --> 00:08:42,480 Speaker 1: us would like to see this handled at the local level. 183 00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:44,160 Speaker 2: You know, at the state level. This is where it's 184 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:44,640 Speaker 2: taking place. 185 00:08:44,679 --> 00:08:47,560 Speaker 1: Even though you mentioned the federal dollar aspect of this, 186 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 1: you know, how much power does the federal government have. 187 00:08:51,520 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: Does your medicare and medicaid services have to tackle this? 188 00:08:55,640 --> 00:08:58,400 Speaker 1: Is there more that you can do, even beyond just 189 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:02,080 Speaker 1: the withholding of funds if this doesn't comply with your demands, 190 00:09:03,080 --> 00:09:03,960 Speaker 1: Oh absolutely. 191 00:09:04,040 --> 00:09:06,080 Speaker 4: I mean, we have an Office of inspect to General. 192 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: I've been meeting with them. 193 00:09:08,160 --> 00:09:12,240 Speaker 4: They are actively engaged looking at criminal conduct. 194 00:09:12,800 --> 00:09:15,400 Speaker 3: People are going to be in trouble. But here's a problem. 195 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:17,680 Speaker 4: I'm going to share with you openly. When you commit 196 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:20,440 Speaker 4: a bank robbery, you go to jail for a long time, 197 00:09:20,760 --> 00:09:21,800 Speaker 4: and maybe you steal. 198 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:23,480 Speaker 3: You know, twenty five thousand dollars. 199 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:27,680 Speaker 4: You can come into medicator Medicare steal millions of dollars, 200 00:09:27,880 --> 00:09:30,680 Speaker 4: Your jail sentence is going to be eighteen months, right. 201 00:09:30,720 --> 00:09:32,560 Speaker 4: So that's a good deal for a lot of people. 202 00:09:32,920 --> 00:09:35,720 Speaker 4: And I think that's one serious problem with white collar crime, 203 00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 4: when you steal much of that magnitude from the taxpayers. 204 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,120 Speaker 4: You have got to go away for a while. The 205 00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,400 Speaker 4: penalties have to match the crime. I also believe that 206 00:09:44,440 --> 00:09:47,000 Speaker 4: I'm that we can focus on the criminals and putting 207 00:09:47,000 --> 00:09:48,600 Speaker 4: them in jail, and I want to do that. But 208 00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,680 Speaker 4: my primary responsibility is protect you and your listeners, the 209 00:09:52,760 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 4: taxpayers of America. I don't want the money going out 210 00:09:55,559 --> 00:09:58,080 Speaker 4: the door, because once it goes out the door, it disappears. 211 00:09:58,080 --> 00:09:59,280 Speaker 3: I'll give you a couple of examples. 212 00:09:59,440 --> 00:10:02,920 Speaker 4: We have five times more durable medical equipment suppliers in 213 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 4: South Florida than McDonald's. 214 00:10:05,040 --> 00:10:06,959 Speaker 3: Come on, are you serious? We think the. 215 00:10:06,960 --> 00:10:09,920 Speaker 4: Cuban government's involved. These folks seem to flee there after 216 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:13,720 Speaker 4: they get indicted, and so when we indict people in Minnesota, 217 00:10:13,760 --> 00:10:15,400 Speaker 4: we don't want them running to other countries. I don't 218 00:10:15,440 --> 00:10:17,480 Speaker 4: want them going back to Somalia. I want them staying 219 00:10:17,559 --> 00:10:19,600 Speaker 4: right there in Minnesota so they can deal with these issues. 220 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:24,800 Speaker 4: We've got criminal conduct. We have a big multinational mafia 221 00:10:24,840 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 4: organization that we shut down fifteen billion dollars of attempt 222 00:10:28,320 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 4: at theft. All the perpetrators fled to Russia and the 223 00:10:31,160 --> 00:10:34,480 Speaker 4: Baltic States. So these people aren't the Americans, but they 224 00:10:34,520 --> 00:10:38,040 Speaker 4: see us as having a social network that we treasure 225 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 4: and generally don't try to take advantage of. But they 226 00:10:41,040 --> 00:10:43,520 Speaker 4: don't care. They're just stealing money from America. It doesn't 227 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:45,640 Speaker 4: matter that they're taking it from our most vulnerable. So 228 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,760 Speaker 4: we have got to weaponize our resistance to these crowds. 229 00:10:49,840 --> 00:10:52,600 Speaker 4: Just like what happened with the weaponization of the fraud 230 00:10:52,640 --> 00:10:55,160 Speaker 4: it stulf. What happened in Minnesota was many of these 231 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:58,760 Speaker 4: folks in the Simonian community and some others, but most 232 00:10:58,760 --> 00:10:59,880 Speaker 4: of the indictments seem. 233 00:10:59,640 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 3: To be in the Surmarian community. They realized during. 234 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:06,160 Speaker 4: COVID that they are these really loosely created programs. Again, 235 00:11:06,200 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 4: they seem like they're nice, they seem like they're kind, 236 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:12,160 Speaker 4: they're basically towing money at issues. They took advantage of it. 237 00:11:12,160 --> 00:11:15,640 Speaker 4: They realized nobody was watching the till, so they went 238 00:11:15,679 --> 00:11:18,319 Speaker 4: back over and over again and they created more frauds 239 00:11:18,320 --> 00:11:22,360 Speaker 4: in autism services and transportation services and housing services. And 240 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 4: of course, once they realized that he could get away 241 00:11:24,600 --> 00:11:25,880 Speaker 4: with it, they weaponized it. 242 00:11:26,200 --> 00:11:28,440 Speaker 3: We have to respond in kind well. 243 00:11:28,480 --> 00:11:31,400 Speaker 1: Governor Tim Wall says that he welcomes, you know, a 244 00:11:31,480 --> 00:11:34,480 Speaker 1: federal investigation into what's going on, so you know, I 245 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:36,720 Speaker 1: imagine that he should be more than willing to hand 246 00:11:36,760 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 1: over all the information that CMS and you, doctor Oz 247 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:43,920 Speaker 1: are demanding. My expectations are low that he's going to 248 00:11:43,960 --> 00:11:46,520 Speaker 1: do that, but that's what he did say publicly, so 249 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:48,360 Speaker 1: one would think that he would be complying with what 250 00:11:48,400 --> 00:11:51,640 Speaker 1: it is that you are looking for regarding these matters. 251 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:54,960 Speaker 4: Well, I'm glad he's staying the right message. I'm hoping 252 00:11:55,000 --> 00:11:56,920 Speaker 4: it feels the same way when we begin to discover 253 00:11:57,000 --> 00:11:57,600 Speaker 4: what's happening. 254 00:11:57,679 --> 00:11:59,680 Speaker 1: When did you first find out? I mean, when was 255 00:11:59,679 --> 00:12:03,280 Speaker 1: this brought to your attention this year? I'm just I'm 256 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 1: curious how that came about when you guys started to investigate. 257 00:12:06,360 --> 00:12:07,000 Speaker 2: What was going on. 258 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:11,559 Speaker 4: So, the state of Minnesota had actually started an investigation 259 00:12:11,760 --> 00:12:16,040 Speaker 4: in twenty twenty four, again untimely because the governor was 260 00:12:16,080 --> 00:12:18,960 Speaker 4: running for vice president, but there was evidence at that 261 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:20,640 Speaker 4: point and the state said, well, we're going to run 262 00:12:20,640 --> 00:12:25,520 Speaker 4: an investigation using outside contractors. They told us they could 263 00:12:25,520 --> 00:12:29,560 Speaker 4: handle it, and at the last week of August they 264 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:32,040 Speaker 4: approached our team at a meeting. You know, they had 265 00:12:32,080 --> 00:12:35,079 Speaker 4: conferences for folks who are working in health services, who 266 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,040 Speaker 4: are generally good people, by the way, and they told 267 00:12:38,080 --> 00:12:40,000 Speaker 4: us in an informal way, Listen, we got a problem. 268 00:12:40,080 --> 00:12:41,880 Speaker 3: You know, we thought we could handle this. We can't. 269 00:12:42,360 --> 00:12:44,320 Speaker 4: And so that sort of set off a cascade of 270 00:12:44,360 --> 00:12:47,200 Speaker 4: events that have culminated. And again the more it's like, 271 00:12:47,640 --> 00:12:49,959 Speaker 4: I hate the use surgeries of metaphor, but I am 272 00:12:49,960 --> 00:12:52,360 Speaker 4: a surgeon. You know, when you started to breed the abscess, 273 00:12:52,400 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 4: you don't often know how deep it goes. But the 274 00:12:54,920 --> 00:12:57,760 Speaker 4: more we started over the last month to look into 275 00:12:57,800 --> 00:13:00,560 Speaker 4: this problem, the more we realized this is catastrophic. And 276 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:04,280 Speaker 4: it's not just in Minnesota. There's a report yesterday for Maine, 277 00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 4: not much smaller than scope so far, but again, we 278 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:10,200 Speaker 4: don't know do we begin to investigate it. But at 279 00:13:10,280 --> 00:13:12,640 Speaker 4: least the good news is we have the right people 280 00:13:12,679 --> 00:13:15,400 Speaker 4: in the room talking about what needs to happen and 281 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:19,040 Speaker 4: investigating it and putting some numbers behind these criminal activities. 282 00:13:19,040 --> 00:13:21,880 Speaker 4: And we have got the OIG and FBI. I've talked 283 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 4: to Cash Totel about this and in Pambondi as well, 284 00:13:24,760 --> 00:13:28,480 Speaker 4: that everybody is riled up about this. Again, it's not 285 00:13:28,760 --> 00:13:31,400 Speaker 4: just the money. The money's big, it's terrible, but it's 286 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:33,880 Speaker 4: the people you're hurting. Again, I'm going to bring this 287 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:34,559 Speaker 4: this stuff. 288 00:13:34,440 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 3: In the light. 289 00:13:35,160 --> 00:13:37,720 Speaker 4: If you cannot get a patient discharge from a hospital 290 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 4: in Minnesota because there's no housing, be able to just 291 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:43,720 Speaker 4: sit there for months running up massive tallies. We want 292 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,679 Speaker 4: these programs to exist, but not this way. And when 293 00:13:46,720 --> 00:13:48,719 Speaker 4: I find this much fraud, you've got to burn the 294 00:13:48,720 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 4: whole village down. You've got to shut it all down, 295 00:13:50,800 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 4: and that's not a good way to run programs. You 296 00:13:52,800 --> 00:13:54,720 Speaker 4: want to be more targeted in your efforts. 297 00:13:55,240 --> 00:13:58,840 Speaker 1: CMS Administrator, Doctor memment Oz, Doctor Oz, it's a pleasure 298 00:13:58,880 --> 00:14:00,720 Speaker 1: to speak with you, and I hope that after the 299 00:14:00,720 --> 00:14:04,439 Speaker 1: first of the year, when we were awaiting the further 300 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:07,200 Speaker 1: audit relating to just how big all the fraud is, 301 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,360 Speaker 1: there's still a big question mark on that, but you're right, 302 00:14:09,679 --> 00:14:11,400 Speaker 1: it's more than likely going to be into the billions 303 00:14:11,400 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 1: of dollars. And I hope that we have an opportunity 304 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:15,040 Speaker 1: to speak after the first of the year to find 305 00:14:15,040 --> 00:14:17,679 Speaker 1: out how your continued investigations are going and whether or 306 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,400 Speaker 1: not the state is complying. But I thank you so 307 00:14:20,520 --> 00:14:22,600 Speaker 1: much for the work that you're doing in your time 308 00:14:22,760 --> 00:14:23,600 Speaker 1: on the show this morning. 309 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:24,680 Speaker 2: It's greatly appreciated. 310 00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:27,320 Speaker 4: Well God bless you. We've got boots on the ground there. 311 00:14:27,360 --> 00:14:29,040 Speaker 4: Now I'll have lots to talk about and I look 312 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:30,320 Speaker 4: forward to coming back and visiting with you. 313 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:31,840 Speaker 1: Now, those boots on the ground are welcome to come 314 00:14:31,880 --> 00:14:33,880 Speaker 1: on by the studio anytime, sir. So thank you, thank 315 00:14:33,920 --> 00:14:36,760 Speaker 1: you so much for joining us this morning. All right, 316 00:14:36,800 --> 00:14:41,840 Speaker 1: coming up, If taxpayers knew how bad it was, they 317 00:14:41,880 --> 00:14:46,720 Speaker 1: would be outraged. County worker offers an inside look at 318 00:14:46,880 --> 00:14:48,800 Speaker 1: the fraud story from Alpha News. 319 00:14:48,800 --> 00:14:50,400 Speaker 2: I'll share with you some details. 320 00:14:50,400 --> 00:14:53,320 Speaker 1: I believe I actually have audio of that main fraud 321 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:56,040 Speaker 1: that doctor Oz was talking about that I can share 322 00:14:56,040 --> 00:14:59,000 Speaker 1: as well. And representative at Elliott Ingen, also running for 323 00:14:59,000 --> 00:15:01,680 Speaker 1: state Auditor, will be joining us in studio just after 324 00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:03,880 Speaker 1: seven thirty and we'll get to your talkbacks from the 325 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:06,440 Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app as are brought to you by Lyndahl Realty. 326 00:15:06,600 --> 00:15:08,920 Speaker 1: They're coming up on Twin City's News Talk Am eleven 327 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:14,680 Speaker 1: thirty and one oh three five FM. 328 00:15:14,720 --> 00:15:17,080 Speaker 5: Hey John, I had a work meeting from six to 329 00:15:17,120 --> 00:15:18,920 Speaker 5: seven this morning, so I missed the first hour. 330 00:15:19,680 --> 00:15:22,560 Speaker 2: Is there anywherey I can go to find the recording 331 00:15:22,600 --> 00:15:23,400 Speaker 2: of that hour? 332 00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 3: Thank you. I have a great day. 333 00:15:25,760 --> 00:15:27,800 Speaker 2: Now it's time to make up for some missed talkbacks, 334 00:15:27,960 --> 00:15:30,800 Speaker 2: have a good day, Hans. 335 00:15:31,080 --> 00:15:33,840 Speaker 1: I feel like you're I feel like you're doing that 336 00:15:33,960 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 1: just to provide me the opportunity to say, go to 337 00:15:36,120 --> 00:15:39,520 Speaker 1: the iHeartRadio app and download the podcast. 338 00:15:39,120 --> 00:15:41,800 Speaker 2: Because you're listening on the iHeartRadio app. But yes, there is. 339 00:15:41,840 --> 00:15:43,560 Speaker 1: You can always get caught up on the podcast if 340 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:46,760 Speaker 1: you missed any portion of the show by simply going 341 00:15:46,800 --> 00:15:48,160 Speaker 1: to the iHeartRadio app and. 342 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:50,440 Speaker 2: That the podcast. 343 00:15:50,440 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: As a matter of fact, that's what I had Devin 344 00:15:53,320 --> 00:15:56,080 Speaker 1: do this morning in the Master Control booth. I had 345 00:15:56,120 --> 00:15:59,680 Speaker 1: him pull one of the answers to a question yesterday 346 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:06,080 Speaker 1: from gubernatorial candidate Attorney Chris Maddele regarding what Republicans are 347 00:16:06,200 --> 00:16:10,239 Speaker 1: or are not doing relating to fraud. So when Representative 348 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:13,800 Speaker 1: Elliott Ingen, who by the way, is downstairs waiting to 349 00:16:13,840 --> 00:16:16,000 Speaker 1: come on up when he joins us in the studio 350 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:21,040 Speaker 1: in the next segment, we'll ask him about that, I'm 351 00:16:21,040 --> 00:16:23,520 Speaker 1: going to replace some of Mattel's answer and we'll get 352 00:16:23,560 --> 00:16:27,360 Speaker 1: the answer from Elliott Ingen, also running for auditor, so 353 00:16:27,400 --> 00:16:29,080 Speaker 1: he'll be in studio with us here just a moment, 354 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,040 Speaker 1: But thank you so much for the top back brought 355 00:16:31,120 --> 00:16:34,360 Speaker 1: to you by and all realty, the. 356 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:37,000 Speaker 6: People that are committing the fraud and the embstment of 357 00:16:37,080 --> 00:16:40,560 Speaker 6: government dollars through social programs that are largely pushed by 358 00:16:40,600 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 6: Democrats seem to be more concerned about how the Democrat 359 00:16:44,680 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 6: Party or the government apparatus is going to treat them 360 00:16:47,920 --> 00:16:51,160 Speaker 6: than they are about the legal consequences of their actions. 361 00:16:51,440 --> 00:16:53,800 Speaker 6: So we really need to start seeing some people that 362 00:16:53,880 --> 00:16:58,760 Speaker 6: are actually facing legal consequences on a large scale. 363 00:16:58,880 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 2: I think that would be one. 364 00:17:00,120 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 6: Rate start in the right direction. 365 00:17:02,080 --> 00:17:05,159 Speaker 1: Well, well, certainly we're certainly starting to see that. As always, 366 00:17:05,200 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 1: these things take time and it doesn't move as fast 367 00:17:08,359 --> 00:17:10,480 Speaker 1: as all of us would like. I had a talkback 368 00:17:10,520 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 1: that rolled in earlier that I didn't bother wasting airtime on, 369 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:19,120 Speaker 1: but basically griping over why is it walls locked up yet? Well, 370 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:23,679 Speaker 1: because there hasn't been any evidence of criminal wrong dooing 371 00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:25,760 Speaker 1: to go and do that. No, we can't just start 372 00:17:25,840 --> 00:17:30,080 Speaker 1: arresting people over our assumptions, even if our assumptions turn 373 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,320 Speaker 1: out to be correct, and just that's not how things work. 374 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:37,800 Speaker 1: So from Alphanews, I'm going to bring you a portion 375 00:17:37,880 --> 00:17:40,280 Speaker 1: of this. It needs we need some time to breathe 376 00:17:40,320 --> 00:17:43,199 Speaker 1: on this particular story. So again, there's a just a 377 00:17:43,240 --> 00:17:44,960 Speaker 1: lot going on, So let me give you just the 378 00:17:44,960 --> 00:17:48,399 Speaker 1: bullet points on this. A Minnesota welfare worker says the 379 00:17:48,440 --> 00:17:52,879 Speaker 1: state's public benefit system is riddled with loopholes that enable 380 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:56,919 Speaker 1: large scale fraud, and frontline staff are often afraid to 381 00:17:57,040 --> 00:18:02,760 Speaker 1: question suspicious cases for fear of being label as a racist. 382 00:18:03,240 --> 00:18:04,240 Speaker 2: The workers said. 383 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:06,720 Speaker 1: They came forward because they believe Minnesotan's are unaware of 384 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:09,800 Speaker 1: the scale and the structure of the problem. Here's one, 385 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,840 Speaker 1: here's one issue on this, and then we'll we'll put 386 00:18:12,840 --> 00:18:14,439 Speaker 1: a pin in this and we will return to it. 387 00:18:14,520 --> 00:18:17,479 Speaker 1: But one of the largest loopholes that we're dealing with 388 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:23,919 Speaker 1: right now, according to this whistleblower, involves religious only marriages. 389 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:25,639 Speaker 1: I had not heard about this until I found this 390 00:18:25,680 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: story from Alpheus. They're common among East African households that 391 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,080 Speaker 1: they work with. Couples who are married only through a 392 00:18:33,119 --> 00:18:37,520 Speaker 1: religious ceremony are treated in the system as unmarried parents. 393 00:18:38,640 --> 00:18:42,400 Speaker 1: Even when they live together and share children. They will say, yes, 394 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:45,760 Speaker 1: we're married, but only religiously. In the system, that means 395 00:18:45,800 --> 00:18:47,760 Speaker 1: that they're coded as unmarried. 396 00:18:48,200 --> 00:18:49,160 Speaker 2: So why does this matter? 397 00:18:49,240 --> 00:18:52,520 Speaker 1: Well, the mother claims all the children and the father's 398 00:18:52,600 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: income is entirely excluded, so they get the benefits of 399 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,080 Speaker 1: a single parent household while living together as a two 400 00:18:59,080 --> 00:19:03,240 Speaker 1: parent family. The worker said they have yet to see 401 00:19:03,320 --> 00:19:07,360 Speaker 1: the Somali marriage that is court documented. In cases that 402 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:13,320 Speaker 1: they process, it changes everything in the eligibility calculation. The 403 00:19:13,440 --> 00:19:18,240 Speaker 1: lower the income, the more generous the benefits. When we 404 00:19:18,280 --> 00:19:20,480 Speaker 1: talk about how we've only hit the tip of the 405 00:19:20,480 --> 00:19:23,439 Speaker 1: iceberg relating to the fraud, it's items like this that 406 00:19:23,480 --> 00:19:24,600 Speaker 1: we're talking about. 407 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 2: At this point. 408 00:19:26,640 --> 00:19:29,480 Speaker 1: The question needs to be asked, what program right now 409 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:35,680 Speaker 1: wherein there are social benefits available through taxpayer dollars medicaid funding, 410 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:38,560 Speaker 1: which program isn't fraudulent. 411 00:19:39,200 --> 00:19:41,120 Speaker 2: That's the way that we need to start examining this. 412 00:19:42,000 --> 00:19:44,520 Speaker 1: And I'm also convinced that what we're going to see next, 413 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:48,080 Speaker 1: the next phase of the conversation that we're talking about, 414 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:54,680 Speaker 1: is going to be this nationwide exposure of systemic fraud, 415 00:19:55,160 --> 00:19:58,280 Speaker 1: specifically in the Democrat Party, as we talked about with 416 00:19:58,280 --> 00:20:00,000 Speaker 1: doctor Oz at the top of the hour, he said, 417 00:20:00,119 --> 00:20:02,800 Speaker 1: you know, in Maine there was a new instance where 418 00:20:02,800 --> 00:20:06,280 Speaker 1: it popped up. I had conversations with individuals out of Colorado, 419 00:20:06,480 --> 00:20:08,119 Speaker 1: and by the way, I got that wrong. Earlier, I 420 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:11,840 Speaker 1: was talking with Sarah westall this week. She's actually here 421 00:20:11,840 --> 00:20:14,359 Speaker 1: in the Twin Cities. The conversation I was referring to 422 00:20:14,520 --> 00:20:18,919 Speaker 1: was Mandy Connell out of out of Denver, Colorado earlier 423 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:22,200 Speaker 1: when I had mentioned the situation that they were dealing 424 00:20:22,240 --> 00:20:24,440 Speaker 1: with regarding Venezuelan immigrants. 425 00:20:24,600 --> 00:20:26,680 Speaker 2: But let me share this story here and then we'll have. 426 00:20:26,680 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: Representative Elli and Ingen join us in studio here on 427 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: Twin Cities News Talk. This is a Democrat representative out 428 00:20:33,119 --> 00:20:36,040 Speaker 1: of Georgia who was indicted this week. 429 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:39,159 Speaker 2: On pandemic fraud. 430 00:20:40,560 --> 00:20:42,520 Speaker 1: Again, this is going to be the next big phase 431 00:20:43,000 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 1: exposure of the systemic fraud taking place across the country 432 00:20:49,359 --> 00:20:53,120 Speaker 1: by those on the left. This is the story here 433 00:20:53,119 --> 00:20:53,800 Speaker 1: from Fox News. 434 00:20:54,200 --> 00:20:58,359 Speaker 5: Dded for fraud, we're learning more about this Georgia lawmaker. 435 00:20:58,600 --> 00:21:01,920 Speaker 5: She is accused of illegally colecting pandemic benefits. And you're 436 00:21:01,960 --> 00:21:06,280 Speaker 5: taking a look at Sharon Henderson. Federal investigators arrested her today. 437 00:21:06,600 --> 00:21:10,159 Speaker 5: They say she collected nearly eighteen thousand dollars in unemployment 438 00:21:10,200 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 5: benefits using false information. Federal prosecutors say this happened while 439 00:21:14,880 --> 00:21:19,040 Speaker 5: Henderson was a political candidate and later while serving in office. 440 00:21:19,160 --> 00:21:22,399 Speaker 5: They believe she first applied for pandemic unemployment benefits in 441 00:21:22,480 --> 00:21:25,280 Speaker 5: June twenty twenty, at the time, she was running for 442 00:21:25,320 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 5: a state House seat, and claimed she was unemployed because 443 00:21:28,320 --> 00:21:32,919 Speaker 5: Henry County schools had closed. Prosecutors say that information was false. 444 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:35,440 Speaker 5: They say she'd not worked for the school system since 445 00:21:35,520 --> 00:21:38,959 Speaker 5: briefly serving as a substitute teacher in twenty eighteen, and 446 00:21:38,960 --> 00:21:43,440 Speaker 5: that her employment agreement specifically said substitutes were not eligible 447 00:21:43,440 --> 00:21:47,400 Speaker 5: for unemployment pay now. According to this indictment, Henderson continued 448 00:21:47,440 --> 00:21:51,240 Speaker 5: certifying weekly benefits and to make twenty twenty one, including 449 00:21:51,280 --> 00:21:54,600 Speaker 5: eight filings made after she was sworn into office as 450 00:21:54,600 --> 00:21:59,000 Speaker 5: a state representative for District one thirteen. During those filings, 451 00:21:59,040 --> 00:22:01,359 Speaker 5: officials say she repat he italy claims she was unable 452 00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:05,080 Speaker 5: to work because of pandemic related issues, but investigators say 453 00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:09,960 Speaker 5: those statements allowed her to receive seventeen eight hundred dollars 454 00:22:10,040 --> 00:22:13,000 Speaker 5: eight hundred and eleven dollars in benefits she was not 455 00:22:13,400 --> 00:22:16,680 Speaker 5: entitled too. Now, she is expected to plead not guilty 456 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:19,359 Speaker 5: when she appears in federal court today. Will continue to 457 00:22:19,440 --> 00:22:21,159 Speaker 5: keep you updated on this story. 458 00:22:21,320 --> 00:22:23,080 Speaker 2: The story from Rosall Fox News. 459 00:22:23,119 --> 00:22:25,480 Speaker 1: You know, it's interesting because people always wonder like how 460 00:22:25,560 --> 00:22:30,520 Speaker 1: certain representatives, you know, Johan Omar, how they have all 461 00:22:30,520 --> 00:22:33,399 Speaker 1: of this money even though they have a very small salary. 462 00:22:33,440 --> 00:22:35,120 Speaker 1: At least in this case, we know for this woman 463 00:22:35,200 --> 00:22:38,760 Speaker 1: it was actually fraudulent. Puts a big question mark on 464 00:22:38,760 --> 00:22:39,520 Speaker 1: a lot of other people. 465 00:22:39,520 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 3: Though. 466 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:43,160 Speaker 1: Representative Ellie at Ingen, also running for an auditor here 467 00:22:43,160 --> 00:22:45,800 Speaker 1: in Minnesota, joins me and Studio next here on Twin 468 00:22:45,840 --> 00:22:48,600 Speaker 1: City's News Talk on Carpet's Plus poem of the Next 469 00:22:48,640 --> 00:22:53,760 Speaker 1: Day Install Studios. You're listening to iHeartRadio AM eleven thirty 470 00:22:53,760 --> 00:22:55,600 Speaker 1: and FM one oh three point five. 471 00:22:56,000 --> 00:22:58,840 Speaker 2: This is the Twin Cities news talk station. 472 00:23:03,600 --> 00:23:05,880 Speaker 1: Almost should have been recording the conversation I was having 473 00:23:05,920 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: off the air with Representative Elliott Ingen and also running 474 00:23:08,840 --> 00:23:12,160 Speaker 1: for state auditor here on Twin Cities News Talking AM 475 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: eleven thirty one oh three five FM. My name is 476 00:23:14,880 --> 00:23:17,280 Speaker 1: John Justice, and I'm glad you're with the show from 477 00:23:17,280 --> 00:23:20,440 Speaker 1: the six five to one Carpet Plus Next Day Install Studios. 478 00:23:21,040 --> 00:23:25,359 Speaker 2: Good morning, Elliott, how are we doing? Nice to see again? Boy? 479 00:23:25,400 --> 00:23:26,120 Speaker 2: What a world man? 480 00:23:26,200 --> 00:23:28,240 Speaker 1: Oh my gosh, what kind of impact just out of 481 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:31,920 Speaker 1: the gate, What kind of impact Have you thought much 482 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:38,359 Speaker 1: about when the legislature reconvenes next year, what kind of 483 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:40,560 Speaker 1: impact all this net? Well, let me just ask you, 484 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,840 Speaker 1: do you think all of this national attention on these 485 00:23:43,880 --> 00:23:46,240 Speaker 1: issues that we just had doctor oz on the on 486 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:47,919 Speaker 1: the phone at the top of the hour, and the 487 00:23:47,920 --> 00:23:50,840 Speaker 1: investigations that CMS is doing into Minnesota. 488 00:23:52,040 --> 00:23:53,840 Speaker 2: You know, I reported this morning. 489 00:23:53,680 --> 00:23:57,760 Speaker 1: That DHS has arrested some four hundred people and these 490 00:23:57,800 --> 00:24:01,240 Speaker 1: are individuals here illegally that have also committed under So 491 00:24:01,280 --> 00:24:04,520 Speaker 1: what is your anticipation in the legislature reconvenes what in February? 492 00:24:04,560 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 2: Right, Yep, it's coming up. 493 00:24:06,359 --> 00:24:08,000 Speaker 7: We have a bunch of bills already sitting on my 494 00:24:08,040 --> 00:24:10,199 Speaker 7: desk ready to go that would tackle a lot of 495 00:24:10,200 --> 00:24:13,800 Speaker 7: these issues. But I think Democrats are faced with kind 496 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:17,399 Speaker 7: of a weird, a weird option of actually pretend to 497 00:24:17,400 --> 00:24:19,280 Speaker 7: do something about it and you know, give the public 498 00:24:19,320 --> 00:24:22,119 Speaker 7: the notion that they actually care about fraud or they 499 00:24:22,160 --> 00:24:25,360 Speaker 7: actually care about our public programs that are completely being 500 00:24:25,840 --> 00:24:30,120 Speaker 7: just ripped off every day, or do they just try to, 501 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:33,560 Speaker 7: you know, character assassinate Republicans and continue with the look, 502 00:24:33,600 --> 00:24:36,000 Speaker 7: you're being racist against them, allies, and we're going to 503 00:24:36,040 --> 00:24:38,480 Speaker 7: talk more about how you're trying to take away rights 504 00:24:38,520 --> 00:24:43,080 Speaker 7: for Lgbtquia folks. It's like they always try to throw 505 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:45,439 Speaker 7: in some sort of a distraction. So I don't know 506 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,320 Speaker 7: what they're gonna end up doing with that, but we're 507 00:24:47,359 --> 00:24:49,160 Speaker 7: gonna be hard on the paint that's for sure. 508 00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:54,840 Speaker 1: Well, Trump's comments that he's made, regardless of how anybody 509 00:24:54,840 --> 00:24:56,399 Speaker 1: feels about him, there's a couple of different ways you 510 00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,840 Speaker 1: can look at him, you know, with his painting with 511 00:24:58,840 --> 00:25:03,320 Speaker 1: a broad brunch. The entire Somali community. Democrats have certainly 512 00:25:03,640 --> 00:25:05,480 Speaker 1: lashed onto that, and that's not a huge that's not 513 00:25:05,520 --> 00:25:07,439 Speaker 1: a huge surprise because he is he is painting with 514 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,040 Speaker 1: the broadbrush, you know, to your point, that's what they've 515 00:25:11,080 --> 00:25:13,600 Speaker 1: been solely focused on. You had Governor Tim Walls in 516 00:25:13,640 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 1: Seattle as he bails you know, out of the states 517 00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: in the middle of Winboro. He always does international taciti. 518 00:25:19,440 --> 00:25:21,439 Speaker 1: I said, less there's a crisis, he runs one or 519 00:25:21,440 --> 00:25:23,520 Speaker 1: two things. He was either going to go mediasylent or 520 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:24,680 Speaker 1: he was going to bail out. He was going to 521 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,480 Speaker 1: leave the state, and sure enough he left the state. 522 00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:30,440 Speaker 1: So he talks about him, you know, Trump calling him 523 00:25:30,480 --> 00:25:33,040 Speaker 1: the r word. He talks about the comments that Trump 524 00:25:33,040 --> 00:25:35,359 Speaker 1: has made about the Somali community. Of course he avoids 525 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:39,439 Speaker 1: all of the reasons why those comments are being made. 526 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:42,400 Speaker 1: You know, do you think that's going to derail efforts, 527 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:44,200 Speaker 1: you know, heading into the legislative sasion. 528 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:47,159 Speaker 7: I think Tim Walls is so narcissistic and egotistical that 529 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,919 Speaker 7: he always wants to talk about the rhetoric rather than 530 00:25:50,960 --> 00:25:53,280 Speaker 7: the policy. You know, he doesn't actually want to talk 531 00:25:53,320 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 7: about how he has overseen, enabled, and incentivized all of 532 00:25:57,400 --> 00:25:59,480 Speaker 7: this fraud. And he's not going to do a single 533 00:25:59,520 --> 00:26:01,280 Speaker 7: damn thing about that. But he'll go up on stage 534 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:05,040 Speaker 7: all day and say, look, he's demonizing people with disabilities, 535 00:26:05,080 --> 00:26:06,639 Speaker 7: he's demonizing different communities. 536 00:26:06,920 --> 00:26:09,800 Speaker 1: It's like, come on, just do your damn job. So 537 00:26:09,840 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: I got a couple of things that I want to 538 00:26:11,119 --> 00:26:14,360 Speaker 1: do with you this morning. We had attorney and gubernatorial 539 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 1: candidate Chris Maddele on the show yesterday. 540 00:26:17,160 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 2: Listen to that. 541 00:26:17,920 --> 00:26:21,360 Speaker 1: He had some rather you know, pointed remarks regarding what 542 00:26:22,200 --> 00:26:24,840 Speaker 1: you know, GOP lawmakers, you know, yourself included. 543 00:26:25,040 --> 00:26:27,000 Speaker 2: I agree with him, haven't done a lot. 544 00:26:27,119 --> 00:26:28,720 Speaker 1: So we're gonna what I'm gonna do here coming up 545 00:26:28,760 --> 00:26:30,600 Speaker 1: in just a moment. I'm gonna replay his answer to 546 00:26:30,640 --> 00:26:34,480 Speaker 1: the question regarding what Republicans should be doing in his 547 00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 1: opinion that I want to get your. 548 00:26:35,720 --> 00:26:36,240 Speaker 2: Thoughts on it. 549 00:26:36,359 --> 00:26:40,040 Speaker 1: Yeah, before we do, I know that you had mentioned 550 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: so I had talked a moment ago, and I'm going 551 00:26:41,800 --> 00:26:43,560 Speaker 1: to get into this a little bit later on Alpha 552 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:47,440 Speaker 1: News has a story of a Minnesota welfare worker. I'm 553 00:26:47,440 --> 00:26:50,280 Speaker 1: talking about the state public benefits system riddled with loopholes, 554 00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,399 Speaker 1: including one I had never heard of before, Elliott, wherein 555 00:26:53,920 --> 00:26:57,639 Speaker 1: couples who are married only through religious ceremonies are treated 556 00:26:57,720 --> 00:27:02,359 Speaker 1: in the system as unmarried. So this is common within 557 00:27:02,520 --> 00:27:06,359 Speaker 1: East African households. I'd never heard of this before, buried 558 00:27:06,400 --> 00:27:08,560 Speaker 1: by religious means only. 559 00:27:08,600 --> 00:27:10,639 Speaker 7: Had you heard of this price, Yeah, I have, because 560 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:14,760 Speaker 7: then it just allows for more funding from Medicaid dollars 561 00:27:14,760 --> 00:27:16,040 Speaker 7: to flow for single parents. 562 00:27:16,240 --> 00:27:18,080 Speaker 2: What does that mean? What does that mean in religions? 563 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,640 Speaker 1: I mean, but is there no formal ceremony in which 564 00:27:20,680 --> 00:27:22,359 Speaker 1: they're declared legally married? 565 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:24,920 Speaker 7: That's correct, and then there's no governmental paper within the 566 00:27:24,920 --> 00:27:26,960 Speaker 7: state of Minnesota that says that they are, So. 567 00:27:26,960 --> 00:27:27,959 Speaker 2: Can anybody do that? 568 00:27:28,080 --> 00:27:31,879 Speaker 1: So if somebody is if if like a religious exemption. Okay, 569 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:34,000 Speaker 1: that's that's what they're claiming. I have to throw Devon 570 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,679 Speaker 1: into this because I have no idea what his background. 571 00:27:35,800 --> 00:27:38,240 Speaker 1: But let's say Devon was dating somebody, they were living together, 572 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,879 Speaker 1: and he went and was looking for services like this. 573 00:27:40,960 --> 00:27:44,000 Speaker 1: Could he go and say that we're married religiously? Would 574 00:27:44,000 --> 00:27:45,199 Speaker 1: he have to provide evidence of that? 575 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:45,480 Speaker 3: Yeah? 576 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:47,080 Speaker 7: I don't know what you would have to provide. That's 577 00:27:47,080 --> 00:27:50,520 Speaker 7: actually a good question, Devin. You know, I don't think. 578 00:27:50,760 --> 00:27:53,280 Speaker 7: I don't know, but I am married. So okay, let's 579 00:27:53,320 --> 00:27:54,000 Speaker 7: hope I don't. 580 00:27:53,840 --> 00:27:54,159 Speaker 3: Have to do. 581 00:27:54,720 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 2: I had no idea. This is how little Devin and 582 00:27:56,840 --> 00:27:58,480 Speaker 2: I talked to it. I had no idea you were married. 583 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:00,920 Speaker 2: I had no clue. Good for you, Devin. 584 00:28:03,480 --> 00:28:06,280 Speaker 1: So again, I had never heard of this before. Is 585 00:28:06,320 --> 00:28:08,480 Speaker 1: there a way to go and close this loopholes? Is 586 00:28:08,480 --> 00:28:10,160 Speaker 1: something that needs to be identified. 587 00:28:09,720 --> 00:28:10,119 Speaker 2: And looked at. 588 00:28:10,440 --> 00:28:13,240 Speaker 7: This is one of so many loopholes. Oh my gosh, 589 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:16,119 Speaker 7: I mean the fraud that we're about to uh on. 590 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:20,119 Speaker 1: This is my next question because I know you have 591 00:28:20,200 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 1: something else beyond this as well. So this is something 592 00:28:23,880 --> 00:28:25,600 Speaker 1: that needs to be looked at before we get to 593 00:28:25,640 --> 00:28:28,520 Speaker 1: Mattle's question. Let's get to The main reason why we 594 00:28:28,520 --> 00:28:30,280 Speaker 1: were going to have you on this morning is that 595 00:28:30,359 --> 00:28:33,960 Speaker 1: there's been new fraud that's been uncovered that day that's 596 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:34,480 Speaker 1: not been. 597 00:28:34,359 --> 00:28:35,600 Speaker 2: Talked about yet. Yeah. 598 00:28:35,680 --> 00:28:38,800 Speaker 7: So, if you guys remember back, Tim Walls all of 599 00:28:38,840 --> 00:28:40,840 Speaker 7: a sudden decided that he wanted to get serious about 600 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 7: fraud and I put air quotes around that because it's 601 00:28:42,920 --> 00:28:46,200 Speaker 7: nothing other than him trying to save his own electoral hide, 602 00:28:46,560 --> 00:28:50,600 Speaker 7: seeing this as an electoral risk. He paused for ninety 603 00:28:50,640 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 7: days fourteen different programs within DHS that deal with Medicaid dollars, 604 00:28:54,920 --> 00:28:58,280 Speaker 7: and in those audits that he was going to be 605 00:28:58,280 --> 00:29:03,120 Speaker 7: performing during those ninety days, they contracted DHS did with 606 00:29:03,280 --> 00:29:08,080 Speaker 7: Optum Services, which is owned by United Health Group. Okay, 607 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:09,880 Speaker 7: so I know it's a lot to follow right now, 608 00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:13,280 Speaker 7: but United Health Group is not statutorily allowed to be 609 00:29:13,360 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 7: overseeing Medicaid management dollars right now because they've engaged in 610 00:29:17,240 --> 00:29:20,440 Speaker 7: conflicts of interest in the past and agree just billing practices. 611 00:29:20,800 --> 00:29:23,240 Speaker 2: So it was so odd to see that they. 612 00:29:23,080 --> 00:29:25,920 Speaker 7: Were given a two point three million dollar contract to 613 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 7: quote unquote find the fraud and figure out all the loopholes, 614 00:29:29,680 --> 00:29:32,920 Speaker 7: and then turns out, well, why did they get that contract. 615 00:29:33,400 --> 00:29:37,040 Speaker 7: George McNulty, who works within DHS and authorizes that contract. 616 00:29:37,040 --> 00:29:41,120 Speaker 7: That grant also happened to work for Optum for United 617 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:45,200 Speaker 7: Health Group. So the conflicts of interest even extend into 618 00:29:45,480 --> 00:29:49,200 Speaker 7: them pretending to care about fraud. This is so convoluted, 619 00:29:49,240 --> 00:29:52,800 Speaker 7: and how these people sleep at night, it's it's disgusting. 620 00:29:52,880 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 2: So let's back up. Let's back up, because this just happened. Yeah, 621 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:56,959 Speaker 2: this just happened. 622 00:29:57,000 --> 00:29:57,160 Speaker 3: Yep. 623 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:02,200 Speaker 1: So you had Governor Chim Walls, he had halted Was 624 00:30:02,240 --> 00:30:04,080 Speaker 1: this the disability waivers issue? 625 00:30:04,120 --> 00:30:05,040 Speaker 2: Is this what you're referring to? 626 00:30:05,160 --> 00:30:10,200 Speaker 1: Is there a fourteen different programs, right, and then the 627 00:30:10,240 --> 00:30:13,080 Speaker 1: pause and DHS funding that you're mentioning now, is that 628 00:30:13,120 --> 00:30:14,680 Speaker 1: the disability waivers are referring to it. 629 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,080 Speaker 2: So that is the disability waivers. 630 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 1: Okay, because I want to get back to that in 631 00:30:17,680 --> 00:30:20,560 Speaker 1: just a moment because he last, So let me go 632 00:30:20,720 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: here just briefly, and we're going to try to navigate 633 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:24,520 Speaker 1: all of this because I'm trying to make sense of 634 00:30:24,560 --> 00:30:27,000 Speaker 1: it as well, because it's all really fresh. Because again, 635 00:30:27,040 --> 00:30:29,680 Speaker 1: we had just talked about this last week. So a 636 00:30:29,840 --> 00:30:33,800 Speaker 1: year ago, on December fourth, Governor Tim Wallas had held 637 00:30:33,800 --> 00:30:37,640 Speaker 1: a press conference wherein he talked about how the eighteen 638 00:30:37,680 --> 00:30:41,080 Speaker 1: billion dollars surplus was gone yep, and the state was 639 00:30:41,160 --> 00:30:43,680 Speaker 1: now looking at a historic deficit. 640 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:44,120 Speaker 3: Right. 641 00:30:44,240 --> 00:30:46,840 Speaker 7: Well, he painted a rosy picture, but yeah, we saw 642 00:30:46,880 --> 00:30:47,840 Speaker 7: the numbers on the paper. 643 00:30:48,360 --> 00:30:51,719 Speaker 1: In that press conference he said part of the reason 644 00:30:51,840 --> 00:30:55,680 Speaker 1: why was because of the funding through the disability waivers yep. 645 00:30:56,160 --> 00:30:59,080 Speaker 2: Okay, so he knew of it. That was a year ago. 646 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:05,440 Speaker 1: So first off, how much did those disability waivers impact 647 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:11,120 Speaker 1: the reduction of our surplus? Because that was that was 648 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:13,080 Speaker 1: the takeaway that I covered last week on. 649 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:17,400 Speaker 2: The show, was do we now have a means or. 650 00:31:17,360 --> 00:31:19,680 Speaker 1: A place where we can look and go okay, fraud 651 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,440 Speaker 1: may have been taking place within DHS and these disability waivers, 652 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:27,080 Speaker 1: and that might have been what drew down the majority 653 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:28,520 Speaker 1: of the of the surplus. 654 00:31:28,640 --> 00:31:31,520 Speaker 7: You are going to you're gonna freak out when you 655 00:31:31,520 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 7: hear this number. So there are three hundred and six 656 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:39,000 Speaker 7: thousand total number of medicaid providers in the state of Minnesota. 657 00:31:39,120 --> 00:31:41,720 Speaker 7: There's twenty point nine billion that we're paid to those 658 00:31:41,760 --> 00:31:48,880 Speaker 7: providers in twenty twenty four. How much twenty point nine billion? Okay, 659 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:52,720 Speaker 7: So when we're talking about one billion in fraud or 660 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:55,400 Speaker 7: two billion, even eight billion. I mean that's like, you know, 661 00:31:55,480 --> 00:31:59,640 Speaker 7: the most high number that Republicans tend to throw around, Well, 662 00:31:59,680 --> 00:32:03,240 Speaker 7: it could be closer to fourteen fifteen billion dollars. And 663 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:07,520 Speaker 7: this is state and federal dollars. That DHS is is 664 00:32:07,600 --> 00:32:10,400 Speaker 7: just trying to mix around numbers and fudge with statistics 665 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 7: to make it seem like everything's unky. 666 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:13,400 Speaker 1: Doory, and just so I can try to make this 667 00:32:13,480 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: palatable for people to understand in case people if somebody 668 00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:21,320 Speaker 1: isn't following. Let's say you've got two water tanks. The 669 00:32:21,360 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 1: water tank on the left is the surplus and it's 670 00:32:23,800 --> 00:32:26,880 Speaker 1: filled with water. The one on the right is in 671 00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:30,040 Speaker 1: this case like disability waivers and the funding that you're mentioning. 672 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:31,520 Speaker 2: So essentially, you. 673 00:32:31,520 --> 00:32:35,440 Speaker 1: Got twenty point nine billion dollars that's needed. You would 674 00:32:35,560 --> 00:32:38,680 Speaker 1: drain the water tank of the surplus and order to 675 00:32:38,680 --> 00:32:41,640 Speaker 1: fill up the tank that's required for the funding for 676 00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:44,080 Speaker 1: the for the disability waivers. 677 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,600 Speaker 7: Right, But you'd first wonder why in the heck you 678 00:32:46,600 --> 00:32:49,080 Speaker 7: need twenty point nine billion dollars in the first place, right, Yeah, 679 00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:50,920 Speaker 7: I haven't got into that, right, Right, So there's such 680 00:32:50,920 --> 00:32:54,560 Speaker 7: a drastic increase, there's a seven hundred percent increase in 681 00:32:54,600 --> 00:32:57,400 Speaker 7: housing stabilization service providers. It went from a six million 682 00:32:57,440 --> 00:33:00,520 Speaker 7: dollar program to a three hundred million dollar program in 683 00:33:00,560 --> 00:33:01,160 Speaker 7: the span. 684 00:33:00,960 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 2: Of three years. 685 00:33:01,560 --> 00:33:05,560 Speaker 7: Why because fraudsters are recognizing that Minnesota is right for 686 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:09,160 Speaker 7: the picking and every single time that there's a compassionate program, 687 00:33:09,240 --> 00:33:11,080 Speaker 7: they use that as a guys for their corruption. They 688 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:13,240 Speaker 7: come in, they start up a nonprofit, they go to 689 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:15,360 Speaker 7: the legislature and say, if you don't give us this money, 690 00:33:15,360 --> 00:33:17,880 Speaker 7: then you're not compassionate and you're not nice. And then 691 00:33:17,960 --> 00:33:20,680 Speaker 7: the legislature forks it over and then those same fraudsters 692 00:33:20,680 --> 00:33:23,360 Speaker 7: turn around and then cut a campaign check to Democrats. 693 00:33:23,160 --> 00:33:26,440 Speaker 7: It's a rinseasher, repeat cycle. And this is all incentivized 694 00:33:26,520 --> 00:33:28,520 Speaker 7: enabled and Democrats have known about this. 695 00:33:28,960 --> 00:33:32,160 Speaker 1: Okay, So getting back to DHS and what you mentioned 696 00:33:32,160 --> 00:33:35,440 Speaker 1: a moment ago with with optim let's get back to that. 697 00:33:35,520 --> 00:33:37,960 Speaker 2: Yeah, so you have that. 698 00:33:38,000 --> 00:33:43,080 Speaker 1: Last year Walls talks about identifying that the disability waiver increased. 699 00:33:43,120 --> 00:33:45,719 Speaker 1: They didn't expect it could have contributed to drawing down 700 00:33:45,920 --> 00:33:48,680 Speaker 1: the surplus. Again, that was last year, and then just 701 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 1: over the course of the past few weeks there's concern 702 00:33:52,000 --> 00:33:55,160 Speaker 1: of fraud within the disability waivers, and so he says 703 00:33:55,520 --> 00:33:58,719 Speaker 1: we are going to put a pause on funding starting 704 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: January first to those programs because of the concern of 705 00:34:02,320 --> 00:34:07,080 Speaker 1: fraud yep. And then through that Optum is hired to 706 00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:07,480 Speaker 1: do the. 707 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:10,560 Speaker 7: Audit, to do the audit, and they themselves are not 708 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 7: even eligible to do so because they've engaged in fraud. 709 00:34:13,160 --> 00:34:13,680 Speaker 3: In the past. 710 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:16,960 Speaker 2: And on top of that, there's a conflict of events. 711 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:20,839 Speaker 1: You have the conflict of interest within DHS because of 712 00:34:20,880 --> 00:34:24,319 Speaker 1: the individual within DHS who was tied to Optum right. 713 00:34:24,239 --> 00:34:25,759 Speaker 2: Well, and he's not the only one that's done this. 714 00:34:26,560 --> 00:34:30,279 Speaker 7: I mean, their commissioner actually proved thirty million dollars in 715 00:34:30,320 --> 00:34:33,400 Speaker 7: grants to her own consulting. 716 00:34:33,000 --> 00:34:33,920 Speaker 2: Agency in the past. 717 00:34:34,239 --> 00:34:35,480 Speaker 7: And this is all stuff that we're going to be 718 00:34:35,480 --> 00:34:37,319 Speaker 7: on earthing when we start up our thirty fraud sites 719 00:34:37,320 --> 00:34:40,880 Speaker 7: in thirty days tour. But it is so disgusting it 720 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:43,040 Speaker 7: would make the mafia blush what's going on within our 721 00:34:43,080 --> 00:34:43,800 Speaker 7: state agencies. 722 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:45,480 Speaker 1: So what do you think the hope, I mean, what 723 00:34:45,600 --> 00:34:47,920 Speaker 1: is the hope here in your mind? I mean, I 724 00:34:47,960 --> 00:34:51,000 Speaker 1: know we're speculating, right, we don't have evidence of this. 725 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:53,920 Speaker 1: You certainly have a conflict of interest in terms of 726 00:34:53,960 --> 00:34:56,640 Speaker 1: optum going and as you said, they well, if they're 727 00:34:56,640 --> 00:34:59,560 Speaker 1: not even allowed, they shouldn't even be performing the audit. 728 00:34:59,640 --> 00:35:01,440 Speaker 1: I mean, why are they Why can it not be. 729 00:35:01,400 --> 00:35:05,000 Speaker 7: Stopped rulemaking authority? I mean DHS is just acting on 730 00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 7: their own behalf. And what's so disgusting too, is this 731 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:12,080 Speaker 7: was probably a backdoor deal that Tim Wall's also okayed. 732 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:15,200 Speaker 7: I mean, United Health is the largest employer here in 733 00:35:15,239 --> 00:35:18,920 Speaker 7: the state. Democrats are in bed with big government and 734 00:35:18,960 --> 00:35:21,239 Speaker 7: big business, and this was a payof to both of them. 735 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,560 Speaker 1: On first blush, it would it would appear like as 736 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:27,000 Speaker 1: you tell the story, as we work through it and 737 00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:30,400 Speaker 1: what's going on, is it just to me like it 738 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,360 Speaker 1: seems to me that they've really set up a perfect, 739 00:35:32,719 --> 00:35:37,120 Speaker 1: perfect scenario to simply continue to muddy the issue. 740 00:35:37,200 --> 00:35:40,400 Speaker 7: Yeah, if they can make it more confusing and convoluted 741 00:35:40,440 --> 00:35:43,799 Speaker 7: for people to understand, eventually people just kind of tune out, 742 00:35:44,000 --> 00:35:46,680 Speaker 7: and I think feeding our future. While it's obviously something 743 00:35:46,719 --> 00:35:49,120 Speaker 7: that needs to be talked about, it was talked about 744 00:35:49,160 --> 00:35:53,719 Speaker 7: so much that it almost disenfranchised and made people not 745 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:57,399 Speaker 7: really understand how bad the fraud is in other places too. 746 00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:01,840 Speaker 7: Right when we're talking potentially fifteen billion dollars in fraud. 747 00:36:02,560 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 2: I mean, think about that. Think about that. 748 00:36:05,239 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 7: And this is all Democrat enabled so that they can 749 00:36:08,120 --> 00:36:11,040 Speaker 7: feeded their own coffers and they could have more people 750 00:36:11,080 --> 00:36:14,319 Speaker 7: reliant on the system also that they. 751 00:36:14,239 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 2: Can get more votes well. 752 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:18,040 Speaker 1: And what's frightening about all of it is we were 753 00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:20,080 Speaker 1: talking about this off the air, and we'll hold you 754 00:36:20,120 --> 00:36:21,480 Speaker 1: over for a bit. We got still got a lot 755 00:36:21,520 --> 00:36:24,520 Speaker 1: to get into here, but we were talking about this 756 00:36:24,920 --> 00:36:28,040 Speaker 1: on the air, and again I mentioned it with doctor 757 00:36:28,080 --> 00:36:29,680 Speaker 1: Oz at the top of the hour, and I have 758 00:36:29,800 --> 00:36:31,520 Speaker 1: with most of the people that I've spoken outside of 759 00:36:31,560 --> 00:36:35,880 Speaker 1: Minnesota in that we certainly haven't been complacent about the fraud. 760 00:36:36,160 --> 00:36:39,560 Speaker 1: Now we've talked about it, it's attempted to be addressed 761 00:36:39,800 --> 00:36:43,920 Speaker 1: at the legislative level. You have had local media do 762 00:36:44,080 --> 00:36:48,640 Speaker 1: coverage on these stories, but there's never any typical follow 763 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:52,640 Speaker 1: up like what we're seeing now on the national level 764 00:36:53,160 --> 00:36:55,200 Speaker 1: of the outrage. And you can hear it this morning 765 00:36:55,200 --> 00:36:58,359 Speaker 1: in doctor Oz and is in the comments that he made. 766 00:36:58,719 --> 00:37:01,560 Speaker 1: You know, the outrage that seeing from outside of Minnesota 767 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:04,680 Speaker 1: as they see what's going on that should have happened 768 00:37:04,719 --> 00:37:07,879 Speaker 1: here and it didn't. When you had coverage of these 769 00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,319 Speaker 1: stories via these news outlets. They did do for the 770 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:14,799 Speaker 1: most part their due diligence as the exposure of the 771 00:37:14,840 --> 00:37:19,799 Speaker 1: fraud became relevant. But then when the voices of opposition 772 00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:25,279 Speaker 1: smoke up to talk about how bad this was, I mean, 773 00:37:25,280 --> 00:37:27,480 Speaker 1: those were mostly silent, and so you never had that 774 00:37:27,560 --> 00:37:31,160 Speaker 1: court of public opinion, you know, MINSLA was never on 775 00:37:31,200 --> 00:37:34,000 Speaker 1: the national schedule generation that should have happened here in 776 00:37:34,040 --> 00:37:34,680 Speaker 1: it and it didn't. 777 00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 2: But now but now we are we can thank Tim 778 00:37:37,840 --> 00:37:38,360 Speaker 2: Walls for that. 779 00:37:38,560 --> 00:37:41,279 Speaker 7: I mean, being who he is, I think he's really 780 00:37:41,320 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 7: put a magnifying glass on himself and how he governs. 781 00:37:44,360 --> 00:37:46,399 Speaker 7: And that's why all of this is coming to fruition now, 782 00:37:46,440 --> 00:37:48,360 Speaker 7: even though we've been yelling about it for a long time. 783 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:51,200 Speaker 7: But I know we need to listen to Chris Maddel's clip. 784 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,160 Speaker 7: But I do believe that there's been a lot of 785 00:37:54,200 --> 00:37:56,120 Speaker 7: Republicans who kind of sit on their hands and they 786 00:37:56,120 --> 00:37:57,920 Speaker 7: wait for the news to be reported and then they 787 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:01,680 Speaker 7: just simply respond to it. The very reactive in trying 788 00:38:01,680 --> 00:38:04,759 Speaker 7: to unearth this fraud and actually tell the public what's 789 00:38:04,800 --> 00:38:08,279 Speaker 7: going on, and that laziness has allowed us to get 790 00:38:08,280 --> 00:38:08,839 Speaker 7: here as well. 791 00:38:09,480 --> 00:38:11,560 Speaker 1: Before we take take a break, let me ask you 792 00:38:11,640 --> 00:38:13,799 Speaker 1: one question and then we'll and then when we come 793 00:38:13,800 --> 00:38:16,120 Speaker 1: back after the top, we'll get to uh, we'll get 794 00:38:16,120 --> 00:38:18,400 Speaker 1: to Chris Maddle's comment from yesterday, and we'll get your 795 00:38:18,440 --> 00:38:19,919 Speaker 1: we'll get your thoughts on. If you have any questions 796 00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,680 Speaker 1: for Representative Elliott Ingen, feel free to leave us a 797 00:38:22,880 --> 00:38:24,880 Speaker 1: talk back on the iHeartRadio apples are brought to you 798 00:38:24,880 --> 00:38:28,239 Speaker 1: by Lindahl Realty. But with regard to what you mentioned 799 00:38:28,280 --> 00:38:32,520 Speaker 1: this morning, the conflict of interest within DHS optum doing 800 00:38:32,520 --> 00:38:36,080 Speaker 1: the investigation into whether or not fraud was occurring, what 801 00:38:36,200 --> 00:38:39,080 Speaker 1: will be done, what needs to be done regarding that 802 00:38:39,120 --> 00:38:42,560 Speaker 1: particular issue that you announced this morning Here on there. 803 00:38:42,440 --> 00:38:45,080 Speaker 7: Are conflict of interest statutes and they come with criminal penalties, 804 00:38:45,239 --> 00:38:47,600 Speaker 7: and if they're not pursued, we need to make it 805 00:38:47,719 --> 00:38:53,759 Speaker 7: a politically disadvantageous act for Keith Ellison to not go 806 00:38:53,800 --> 00:38:57,000 Speaker 7: after these bad actors, right, And I think as we're 807 00:38:57,080 --> 00:39:00,319 Speaker 7: running for state auditor, we're trying to demonstrate that if 808 00:39:00,360 --> 00:39:03,840 Speaker 7: you expose it so large and the public really understands 809 00:39:03,880 --> 00:39:06,640 Speaker 7: what's going on and how egregious this is. Any Democrat 810 00:39:06,680 --> 00:39:10,480 Speaker 7: that acts to protect the fraudsters or to enable the 811 00:39:10,480 --> 00:39:13,760 Speaker 7: broken system to continue serving itself. They're going to be 812 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:16,880 Speaker 7: they're gonna be chopped liver. They're gonna lose because people 813 00:39:16,960 --> 00:39:19,120 Speaker 7: understand the truth now, and that's what we're trying to 814 00:39:19,120 --> 00:39:21,320 Speaker 7: do with this. So we need to expose it first, 815 00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,200 Speaker 7: and then we need to make sure that we press 816 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:25,359 Speaker 7: the Attorney General to actually act all out. 817 00:39:25,360 --> 00:39:27,560 Speaker 2: Holding my breath, we'll get to your comments. Coming up. 818 00:39:27,680 --> 00:39:29,480 Speaker 2: We'll talk more with running for 819 00:39:29,719 --> 00:39:34,319 Speaker 1: State auditor, but current Representative Elliott Ingen more with him next, 820 00:39:34,480 --> 00:39:36,759 Speaker 1: and of course you in the iHeartRadio app here on 821 00:39:36,800 --> 00:39:38,960 Speaker 1: Twin City's news talk about AM eleven thirty and one 822 00:39:39,000 --> 00:39:40,080 Speaker 1: oh three five FM