Gov. Bruce Rauner has created a task force to root out waste, fraud and abuse in taxpayer-funded health care programs. The Republican signed an executive order to implement that group, which will also seek ways to prevent waste in state- and federally funded Medicaid and employee health insurance programs.
Rauner says the cost of state-run health care programs increases when no one watches to stop abuse and fraud. The state spends more than $19 billion a year on Medicaid and the state employee group health insurance plan.
The executive inspector general, Maggie Hickey, will head the task force. It will have 11 members, including a deputy governor, chief compliance officer, and representatives of executive departments on aging, health care and family services, state police, insurance and other agencies.
