Anti-fraud task force: ACA 'phantom enrollees' and DME/hospice crackdowns

Through 2026, Dr. Mehmet Oz has run CMS’s anti-fraud program as a multi-front campaign spanning ACA enrollment, durable medical equipment (DME) billing, and hospice oversight.

On September 22, 2026, Oz joined Vice President JD Vance to announce the removal of more than 760,000 ACA enrollees — “phantom enrollees” described as nonexistent or enrolled without their knowledge — saving a claimed $2.2 billion. The action also included broker suspensions and a six-month moratorium on new brokers, per CNN’s reporting.

On September 8, 2026, CMS barred 11 DME suppliers tied to $3.4 billion in suspected fraudulent billing, including claims for deceased beneficiaries and unrequested equipment, per Becker’s. On September 9, 2026, in a Bloomberg “Balance of Power” interview, Oz said that $20 billion-plus in suspected fraud identified by Treasury “could double the life of the Medicare trust fund” and called on Congress to codify MFN drug-pricing deals. Earlier in 2026, Oz toured fraud hotspots in Los Angeles and vowed to decertify roughly 900–1,000 suspect hospices, according to a CBS interview account.

Timeline

• Early 2026 — Oz tours LA fraud hotspots, vows to decertify ~900–1,000 suspect hospices. (CBS interview account)
• September 8, 2026 — CMS bars 11 DME suppliers tied to $3.4B in suspected fraudulent billing. (Becker’s)
• September 9, 2026 — Oz tells Bloomberg that $20B+ in suspected Treasury-identified fraud “could double the life of the Medicare trust fund”; urges Congress to codify MFN pricing deals. (Bloomberg)
• September 22, 2026 — Oz and VP Vance announce removal of 760,000+ ACA “phantom enrollees” (claimed $2.2B savings), broker suspensions, and a 6-month moratorium on new brokers. (CNN)