W.Va.'s Attorney General Targets Medicaid Fraud

West Virginia’s newly re-elected Attorney General Patrick Morrisey plans to target Medicaid fraud in his second term and ask the Legislature to give his office more authority to crack down.

Morrisey, who promises this second term will be his last as the state’s top lawyer, says he’s has had success investigating fraudulent disability claims, saving $1.4 million so far.

He says the state could save millions of dollars in the federal- and state-funded health care program for the poor, where spending has expanded.

The Republican is returning to office after getting 52 percent of the vote in a race against Democrat, state legislator and businessman Doug Reynolds, who got 42 percent.

Under current law, the state’s Medicaid fraud control unit is housed within the Department of Health and Human Resources.