Medicare administrator Issues new warning

The federal official overseeing Medicare is issuing a stark warning to health care providers after revoking a California doctor’s access to the program following allegations of misconduct tied to tens of millions of dollars in billing.

Dr. Mehmet Oz, administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), announced that Medicare authorization had been stripped for Dr. Rajiv Bhuva, a Los Angeles physician, in connection with $71 million in hospice charges.

“To all the fraudsters out there stealing from our seniors: run, don’t walk. Because we’re coming after you,” Oz wrote on social media.

Newsweek reached out to Bhuva’s office via phone and left a message on Thursday evening.

Why It Matters

Medicare is among the largest federal programs in the United States, and improper billing can divert billions of dollars away from patient care and strain the program’s long‑term finances.

Hospice services, intended for patients nearing the end of life, have drawn attention from regulators and watchdogs as some providers are allegedly enrolling patients who may not meet eligibility requirements.

What To Know

CMS revoked the doctor’s ability to participate in Medicare after linking the physician to $71 million in hospice-related billing, according to a new report from Fox News.

Bhuva was connected to Medicare claims for around 2,800 patients across 126 California hospices in 2024 alone, sparking concerns of fraud. California state auditors previously outlined that working with only more than three hospice providers could be a warning sign.

“This pattern of individual administrators supposedly working for a large number of hospice agencies raises questions about whether they are actually participating in the operations of any or all of those agencies,” the auditors’ report from 2022 said.

Revoking Medicare privileges is among the strongest administrative tools available to CMS, effectively barring providers from receiving payments from the federal insurance program that serves tens of millions of older adults and people with disabilities.

“If this doctor is found guilty, it will undoubtedly serve as a warning to other healthcare providers to do a more adequate job of monitoring fraud and waste in their organizations,” Alex Beene, financial literacy instructor for the University of Tennessee at Martin, told Newsweek.

Previously, an anti-fraud task force led by Vice President JD Vance suspended 221 providers in Los Angeles over concerns of fraud.

“The Administration’s War on Fraud once again yields results as more suspensions take place and fraudsters face justice for ripping off hard-working Americans and stealing their tax dollars and social services,” a Vance spokesperson told Fox News Digital. “The Vice President and his task force are proud of these latest figures and expect to see this number continue to grow dramatically.”

What People Are Saying

California Governor Gavin Newsom’s press office, on X: “The state has no role in the Medicare billing or payment process. We are glad the Trump Admin is taking action to combat fraud. Now, if Trump could stop pardoning fraudsters—and hold them accountable—that would be great!”

Beene, also to Newsweek: “While the average hospice doctor in California is tied to around 140 patients annually, the doctor being alleged of fraud in this situation has a count in the thousands. When it comes to the tremendous amount of money being spent by patients and government programs on healthcare, there is increasingly more focus – and rightfully so – on ensuring those dollars are correctly spent.”

What Happens Next

Oz’s warning suggests that CMS will continue monitoring billing patterns and may pursue further revocations or penalties if the agency identifies similar concerns elsewhere.