Congress Should Prioritize Medicaid Integrity Bill

ARLINGTON, VA — Today, The LIBRE Initiative and Americans for Prosperity announced their support for the Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026, introduced by Rep. Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), in calling on Congress to pass this critical legislation to strengthen Medicaid program integrity, close oversight gaps, and ensure taxpayer dollars are reaching the vulnerable Americans Medicaid was designed to serve. 

LIBRE and AFP’s support for the Medicaid RAC Improvement Act reflects the organizations’ long-standing commitment to a healthcare system that is accessible, affordable, and built on fiscal responsibility. Protecting Medicaid’s integrity is not just a fiscal issue. It is a matter of fairness to the millions of families who depend on the program and to the taxpayers who fund it. 

Helder Toste, LIBRE Federal Affairs Liaison, released the following statement:  

“The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act of 2026 takes direct aim at one of the most persistent threats to American taxpayers: Medicaid fraud. By strengthening the Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractor program, this legislation gives contractors the tools to identify improper payments and recover them — ensuring Medicaid serves the vulnerable Americans it was designed to protect. LIBRE Institute polling shows us that there is a clear public mandate: 93% of Latino voters agree that Congress should prioritize eliminating waste, fraud, and abuse in federal health care programs, and 64% believe social programs like Medicaid are being taken advantage of and must be preserved for those who truly need them.”  

Dean Clancy, AFP Senior Health Policy Fellow, released the following statement: 

“Medicaid exists to serve vulnerable Americans — not to be exploited by improper payments and lax oversight. The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act is a commonsense, fiscally responsible reform that closes real gaps in program integrity and ensures taxpayer dollars are actually reaching the people they were meant to help. Americans for Prosperity is proud to support this legislation and urges Congress to move it forward without delay.”  

We thank Rep. Bilirakis for his leadership in introducing this legislation as well to each of the bill’s original cosponsors — Reps. Jodey Arrington (TX-19), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (IA-1), Kat Cammack (FL-3), Gary Palmer (AL-6), Rick Allen (GA-12), Aaron Bean (FL-4), and John Carter (TX-31) – for standing with taxpayers and the vulnerable Americans who depend on Medicaid to deliver on its promise. 

Key Points:  

• Medicaid Recovery Audit Contractors (RACs) are responsible for identifying and recovering improper Medicaid payments on behalf of states and taxpayers.  

• However, the Government Accountability Office has identified significant weaknesses in the implementation and oversight of Medicaid RAC programs nationwide.  

• Many states operate with limited transparency, inconsistent reporting, and broad exceptions from federal requirements – while a growing share of Medicaid spending flows through managed care organizations that have largely escaped payment integrity reviews.  

• The Medicaid RAC Improvement Act directly addresses these gaps by implementing GAO recommendations, strengthening CMS oversight, expanding RAC review activities to include managed care payments, and establishing a consistent four-year lookback period for audit and recovery activities. 

• The legislation would also establish a demonstration project to test strategies for increasing state participation in Medicaid RAC programs and direct CMS to study barriers currently preventing full implementation at the state level — ensuring this is not just a mandate but a workable, results-driven reform. 

About The LIBRE Initiative : The LIBRE Initiative is a national Hispanic advocacy organization committed to empowering the Latino community by advancing public policy solutions that create freedom and opportunity. LIBRE works across the areas of economic opportunity, healthcare, immigration, and education to ensure Hispanic families can build their American Dream.