Stauber Introduces Legislation to Stop Fraud in Federal Health Care Programs

May 18, 2026 Press Release WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman Pete Stauber (MN-08) introduced H.R. 8865, the Protecting Taxpayers from Fraudulent Providers Act to defend taxpayer dollars by preventing fraud in federal health care programs. Specifically, this bill permanently bars a person, company, clinic, contractor, or other organization convicted of stealing money and committing fraud in government health care organizations, such as Medicare, Medicaid, or CHIP, from ever participating in those programs again. “Fraud is rampant in federal programs across the country, as highlighted by the massive fraud scandal that recently rocked Minnesota,” said Congressman Pete Stauber. “It has been infuriating to learn about the criminals who enriched themselves with expensive homes, luxury cars, and lavish vacations by stealing over $9 billion in taxpayer dollars meant to help the most vulnerable among us. Minnesotans – and all Americans – are fed up with this abuse and expect immediate action from the government responsible for safeguarding their hard-earned money. That’s why I am proud to introduce the Protecting Taxpayers from Fraudulent Providers Act to ensure these critical programs can never again be exploited by bad actors.” Following this fraud scandal, Congressman Stauber has introduced a number of bills to combat fraud and strengthen accountability in federal assistance programs. Most recently, he introduced the Stop Fraud by Somalia Act to strengthen penalties for childcare providers who exploit public programs, including serious immigration consequences for non-citizens. Stauber’s legislative actions align with broader federal initiatives established to combat fraud and restore confidence in government programs. Recently, the Trump administration announced the creation of an Anti-Fraud Task Force, led by Vice President JD Vance, to crack down on fraud nationwide. So far, they have executed 22 search warrants against fraudulent day care centers in Minnesota, including the “Quality Learing Center.” Alongside this aggressive prosecution, the Task Force is working to prevent fraud before taxpayer funds are distributed by increasing scrutiny of payments and ensuring claims are legitimate and lawful before approval. ###