ABC, NBC Refuse to Cover Massive White House Moves on Fighting Medicare Fraud

Flanked by members of the White Home Process Power to Remove Fraud, Vice President JD Vance introduced a sequence of strikes Wednesday by the Trump administration to defer $1.3 billion in Medicare reimbursements to California for its refusal to deal with welfare fraud, demanding states show they’re dedicated to addressing fraud, and a six-month moratorium on new hospices and residential well being care operations.

However when it got here to the published networks mentioning it on their lead Wednesday night time and/or Thursday morning newscasts, there have been crickets on ABC and NBC regardless that, within the case of the latter, they not solely had a reporter — White Home correspondent Monica Alba — within the room, however was known as on first to ask a query concerning the difficulty at hand.

It’s not significantly stunning on condition that, as we reported on April 13, they’ve but to even acknowledge the issue.

Wednesday’s CBS Night Information did not cowl it, however Thursday’s CBS Mornings did with a 41-second information transient kicking off the second half-hour and its “Caught Our Eye” block.

Correspondent Tom Hanson framed the announcement as the federal government following up on CBS’s reporting: “We start with a growth in a narrative we introduced you involving allegations of large well being care fraud. A CBS Information investigation raised pink flags about greater than 700 probably fraudulent hospice corporations in Los Angeles County. Now, the Trump administration is taking motion.”

This 41-second information transient on Thursday’s ‘CBS Mornings’ was the one point out on the lead newscasts from any of the published networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) about yesterday’s @WHFraudTF announcement with @VP JD Vance, @DrOzCMS, and @AfergusonFTC about Medicare and Medicaid fraud pic.twitter.com/5Ahk5rooDd

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) Might 14, 2026

Hanson added Vance and Facilities for Medicare and Medicaid Providers (CMS) Administrator Dr. Oz “introduced the administration is deferring $1.3 billion in Medicare funds to California” trigger “[t]hey stated the state had not taken fraud significantly and, on high of that, they’re pausing all new Medicare enrollments by hospice and residential well being companies.”

“Vance and Oz stated the maintain will final six months whereas they examine the potential fraud,” he concluded.

Oz defined within the press convention the logic behind the withholding of Medicare funds to California, together with the truth that the highest 5 p.c of state billers accounted for $630 million, plus the state’s price of “development of spending in private care companies, in residence companies, is twice the speed of the typical of the remainder of the nation”:

.@DrOzCMS on questionable Medicare billing in California…

“California Medicaid deferral that the Vice President talked about is $1.34 billion. These submissions of Medicare information within the backup — estimates are producing main pink flags for us, and now we have appeared fastidiously at… pic.twitter.com/lPZ9jLM6cr

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) Might 13, 2026

He additionally delivered a prebuttal of types to these questioning why there’s a nationwide moratorium and never simply in states the Trump administration deems problematic:

Right here was Vance explaining in full the $1.3 billion deferment to the Golden State (click on “develop”):

#BREAKING: @VP Vance makes official the Trump administration will likely be “deferring $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements from the state of California” following the publicity of rampant fraud contained in the state, together with at nursing properties….

“So, first, we’re asserting that the… pic.twitter.com/RCZyxOYCwu

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) Might 13, 2026

We’re asserting that the federal authorities is deferring $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements from the State of California. And the easy purpose is as a result of the state of California has not taken fraud very significantly. And due to that, we see numerous the implications that I simply referenced. And once more, let me let me spotlight the truth that this actually is 2 separate victims. So, there are California taxpayers and American taxpayers who’re being defrauded as a result of California isn’t taking its program significantly. But in addition you’ve got individuals who have been prescribed medicines that they don’t even want. Typically they’ve had medicine put into their our bodies that they don’t want, as a result of fraudsters have really inspired false prescriptions and false administration of medicines. So, take into consideration this. You’re only a particular person making an attempt to go see a health care provider. You assume that your physician is doing the appropriate factor, however these fraudulent well being care suppliers are getting wealthy by giving individuals medicines they don’t even want. It’s defrauding of the American taxpayer, however it’s a violation of the belief that ought to exist between each American and the individuals who prescribed the medicines. That’s one factor that we need to we’re focusing on, and because of this we’re taking this motion, is as a result of we would like California to get severe about this fraud.

When it got here to imploring all 50 states to be extra proactive, Vance defined how “[t]he Medicaid system that exists in the USA is admittedly 50 separate techniques” with “the federal authorities pay[ing] many of the Medicaid cash, however then every of the person states really administers the Medicaid program” and thus are accountable for making certain federal tax {dollars} are correctly stewarded.

Vance stated that, whereas there may be bipartisan consideration given in a blue state like Maryland and a pink state like Ohio (because of the Each day Wire’s Luke Rosiak), Hawaii and New York are two states that haven’t been as dedicated to investigating raud with the previous having zero convictions lately and solely 9 indictments within the latter, which receives $100 billion from Medicaid.

He stated to fight this, the federal authorities has communicated to all 50 states to clarify and present what they’ve executed to take the matter significantly:

.@VP @JDVance on @WHFraudTF’s actions towards states who refuse to take Medicaid/Medicare fraud significantly…

“So, what are we going to do to repair that? At the moment, we’re sending throughout 50 Medicaid applications — we’re sending letters that may require them to indicate that they’re… pic.twitter.com/jc8adRzohI

— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) Might 13, 2026

As a result of it’s the Trump administration and much more so since we’re in an election, Disney’s ABC and Comcast’s NBC need nothing to do with primary, good-government journalism.

As an alternative, Wednesday’s World Information Tonight featured this weird show from anchor David Muir in China:

Over at NBC, Thursday’s At the moment had a have a look at the invasive noticed lanternfly, so that they lined fraud of types by way of a bug, however not fraud from people!

To see the related CBS transcript from Might 14, click on “develop.”

CBS MorningsMay 14, 20267:21 a.m. Japanese [TEASE]

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Ahead; Healthcare Fraud Update]

VLADIMIR DUTHIERS: And now we have a serious replace on an investigation we introduced you about well being care scammers. What the Trump administration says it’s doing concerning the fraud.

(….)

7:30 a.m. Japanese

[ON-SCREEN HEADLINE: Caught Our Eye; Feds Pause New Medicare Enrollements]

TOM HANSON: We start with a growth in a narrative we introduced you involving allegations of large well being care fraud. A CBS Information investigation raised pink flags about greater than 700 probably fraudulent hospice corporations in Los Angeles County. Now, the Trump administration is taking motion. On Wednesday, Vice President JD Vance and Medicare Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz introduced the administration is deferring $1.3 billion in Medicare funds to California. They stated the state had not taken fraud significantly and, on high of that, they’re pausing all new Medicare enrollments by hospice and residential well being companies. Vance and Oz stated the maintain will final six months whereas they examine the potential fraud.