This bill aims to enhance consumer protection by strengthening the legal framework against Medicaid fraud. It grants the attorney general and authorized assistant attorneys general the power to issue subpoenas for records related to Medicaid fraud investigations, including those from telephone companies, financial institutions, and insurance records. A new section, 609.467, is introduced to define medical assistance fraud and establish corresponding criminal penalties, which vary based on the severity of the offense. The bill also repeals section 609.466, which previously defined medical assistance fraud, and makes conforming changes to existing statutes, including amendments to sections 8.16, 256B.12, 609.52, and 628.26, to clarify the prosecution of Medicaid fraud. The new provisions will take effect on August 1, 2025, and will apply to crimes committed on or after that date.

Additionally, the bill amends the statute of limitations for various offenses, establishing specific time frames for filing indictments or complaints. For serious offenses involving property or services valued over $35,000, the filing period is set at five years, while other offenses, including those related to false statements, also have a five-year limit. Lesser offenses are subject to a three-year filing period. The bill includes provisions to exclude certain periods from the limitations, such as when the defendant is not a state resident or when evidence is undergoing DNA analysis. Furthermore, it appropriates $390,750 from the general fund for fiscal years 2026 and 2027 to the attorney general to combat medical assistance fraud, with a base appropriation of the same amount for the subsequent two fiscal years.

Statutes affected:
Introduction: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 628.26
1st Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 628.26
2nd Engrossment: 609.466, 8.16, 256B.12, 609.52, 628.26