PHOENIX – The head of Arizona’s Medicaid agency is opening up about the AHCCCS fraud scandal plaguing our state.
It’s been nearly a year since Carmen Heredia, cabinet executive officer, took over as the head of the agency, and she has spent the majority of that time trying to crack down on the fake rehab scheme targeting vulnerable people while bilking the state for nearly a billion dollars.
In a one-on-one interview with FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum, Heredia talks about the changes being made to reign in the fraud.
‘I do think we need an overhaul’
In January 2023, Carmen Heredia had no choice but to face a scandal of massive Medicaid fraud as the new head of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS).
“Focusing on something that was completely unexpected for me. It was new information walking into the job, and it’s been our complete focus,” Heredia said.
She’s talking about the scheme that preys on vulnerable people, including Native Americans fighting addiction.