Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz is highlighting the Trump administration’s efforts to combat healthcare fraud in a new 27-minute documentary titled “War on Fraud.” The film, which examines massive Medicare schemes, suspected hospice scams and allegations of organized crime involvement, follows Oz as he investigates taxpayer-funded program abuses across the country.
“All these programs come back to one basic issue: Fraudsters and criminals don’t give a s— about you. They want your money, and they will walk all over your health, sacrifice your life and betray society’s trust to get your hard-earned money,” Oz said in the video. The documentary features appearances from HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and CMS Deputy Administrator Kim Brandt.
During a recent investigation in New York City, Oz accompanied officials as they confronted workers at senior day care centers suspected of questionable Medicaid billing. More than 80 providers in the city received warning letters from CMS as part of an operation involving the FBI, HHS-OIG and the NYPD. An FBI spokesperson confirmed that law enforcement activity was conducted in Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn in connection with ongoing federal investigations.
Oz identified several irregularities during his visits, including low attendance despite high Medicaid billing, questionable wheelchair transportation charges and sign-in sheets containing future-dated entries. The documentary also points to the Los Angeles area, where Oz notes that approximately 2,000 hospice providers operate, a concentration he suggests has raised concerns regarding fraudulent billing.
The film alleges that Russian organized crime groups are involved in some hospice fraud operations, where patients are reportedly enrolled in care under false pretenses. Oz claims these schemes involve falsely declaring patients terminally ill, which may limit their access to other treatments while allowing operators to bill Medicare for services.
The administration’s crackdown has also focused on Minnesota following the $250 million “Feeding Our Future” scandal that gained national attention in 2022. Additionally, the documentary highlights a $3.7 billion fraudulent billing scheme involving medical equipment companies in Delray Beach, Florida. Federal prosecutors allege the ringleader of that operation fled the U.S. before being captured in Turkey and returned to South Florida to face charges.
In one segment filmed in Flushing, Queens, Oz describes a cluster of businesses, including a pharmacy and a social adult daycare center, as a “clubhouse for crooks.” He alleges these entities recruit seniors to use their identification numbers to bill the government illegally. The documentary is scheduled for release Wednesday at 4 P.M. ET on Oz’s X account.
