[Congressional Record Volume 163, Number 50 (Wednesday, March 22, 2017)]
[House]
[Page H2300]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        AMERICAN HEALTH CARE ACT BRINGS MEDICAID ACCOUNTABILITY

  (Mr. PITTENGER asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. PITTENGER. Mr. Speaker, I rise in support of the American Health 
Care Act and, specifically, the critically important reforms to 
Medicaid, in addition to the other great reforms that will bring cost-
effective health care to this country.
  For 50 years, Medicaid has been a blank check to the States with 
little accountability and rampant fraud. During my time in the North 
Carolina Senate, we found as much as 20 percent waste, fraud, and abuse 
in Medicaid.
  In response, I have worked with SAS, a major technology firm, to 
develop accountability and oversight. North Carolina is now a leader in 
Medicaid fraud recovery.
  Under the American Health Care Act, Medicaid replaces an open blank 
check with commonsense per capita or block grant allotments for each 
State. This incentivizes States to follow North Carolina's lead and 
clean out the bad actors exploiting eligibility and the providers 
taking advantage of Medicaid at the expense of America's most 
vulnerable.
  Conservatives have championed these reforms for decades. Now is our 
opportunity to bring accountability to Medicaid.
  I urge my colleagues to vote ``yes'' on this great reform.

                          ____________________