Reynolds creates Iowa Medicaid fraud task force led by Attorney General Brenna Bird

DES MOINES — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds signed Executive Order 20 on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, creating a new Iowa Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force aimed at rooting out fraud, waste and abuse in the state’s Medicaid program.

The task force will be chaired by Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird and is expected to deliver a final report to the governor within 120 days. Its first meeting must be held no later than July 17, 2026.

Reynolds said the effort is intended to protect taxpayer dollars while making sure Medicaid remains available for Iowans who qualify for and depend on the program.

“Safeguarding federal programs like Medicaid from bad actors requires accountability at every point in the process, from member eligibility verification to provider enrollment and billing,” Reynolds said. “By identifying and eliminating fraud and abuse from Iowa Medicaid, we will protect taxpayer dollars, strengthen public trust, and ensure these critical benefits remain available to the Iowans who not only qualify for them, but rely on them for their health and well-being.”

Medicaid is one of the largest public health programs in Iowa and provides health coverage for low-income residents, children, people with disabilities, seniors and others who qualify. Most Iowa Medicaid members receive care through the state’s managed care system, known as Iowa Health Link, which currently includes Wellpoint Iowa, Iowa Total Care and Molina Healthcare of Iowa.

Bird said Medicaid fraud harms both taxpayers and vulnerable Iowans who rely on the program.

“Every time someone commits Medicaid fraud, they are taking funds away from programs that help people who desperately need them,” Bird said. “I’m grateful Governor Reynolds is committed to rooting out fraud that is hurting Iowans and I look forward to leading this new Medicaid Fraud Elimination Task Force.”

The new task force will include top officials from several state agencies, including the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services, Iowa Medicaid, the Department of Inspections, Appeals and Licensing, Iowa’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, the Department of Public Safety and the Department of Management. The governor’s office will also have a representative, and each of Iowa’s managed care organizations will have one member on the panel.

Reynolds directed the task force to focus on several areas, including closer alignment with federal Medicaid program-integrity efforts, stronger provider enrollment oversight, improved public reporting tools, expanded fraud-reporting awareness, and better use of technology to detect suspicious billing or eligibility problems.

The order also calls for work on high-risk services and electronic visit verification, a system used to confirm certain home- and community-based services were actually provided.

The move comes as state and federal officials continue to put more attention on improper payments in major public programs. Improper payments can include fraud, but they can also involve documentation problems, billing errors, eligibility mistakes or other administrative issues. Federal officials have said a large share of Medicaid improper payments nationally are tied to insufficient documentation rather than proven fraud.

Still, Medicaid fraud cases can involve serious allegations, including false billing, billing for services not provided, kickback schemes, inflated claims, provider enrollment abuse or exploitation of vulnerable patients.

The task force’s final report is expected to recommend a statewide strategy to reduce or eliminate Medicaid waste, fraud and abuse in Iowa.