First published in the Minnesota Star Tribune, October 23, 2026.
As co-convener of the statewide This Is Medicaid Coalition, made up of advocates and service providers, I agree with the recent opinion piece pointing out the lack of transparency and authentic collaboration on the part of the federal Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services (CMS) in ensuring the highest integrity of Minnesota’s Medicaid program, called Medical Assistance or MA (“To fight fraud effectively, Minnesota needs partnership, not just punishment,” Strib Voices, Oct. 21).
As the executive director of AspireMN, I see how threats to Medical Assistance are not just a political skirmish but directly risk the well-being of our most vulnerable children, families and neighbors, jeopardizing the health and vibrancy of our communities.
That is the heart of Medicaid: to ensure all Minnesotans receive the health care and services they need, and to have the health and independence to contribute to their families and communities. It is a shared responsibility between states and the federal government. And Minnesota has built a strong Medicaid program that disproportionally supports our children, older adults and people with disabilities.
CMS has failed to respond in a timely and cooperative way to Minnesota’s efforts to comply with program integrity planning and instead is threatening to withhold or claw back more than $3 billion in vital Medicaid funding.
As Medicaid advocates and service providers, we have introduced proposals to streamline reporting and simplify processes to increase daylight into service delivery that can root out fraud. We understand that any misuse of Medicaid investments yields real harms; therefore, our highest priority is strengthening the integrity of the program.
The actions from CMS to date target our most vulnerable Minnesotans and lack the transparency required to eliminate fraud and increase accountability. As we continue to take rigorous steps to strengthen Minnesota’s Medicaid program, we deserve a federal partner willing to get that job done.
Kirsten Anderson, St. Paul