DOJ Federal Hospice Fraud Takedown: 8 Arrests, $50M Alleged Billing — Medi-Cal Enforcement Intensifies

U.S. Attorney's Office (Central District of California) announced an April 2 takedown — 8 defendants arrested for $50M in fraudulent hospice billing using stolen identities to enroll in Medi-Cal. Coordinated DHCS + DMFEA + federal action. State enhanced identity verification and multifactor authentication for Medi-Cal applicants in 2026. Over 300 hospices currently under DHCS investigation for license revocation. While hospice-specific, signals stepped-up Medi-Cal billing scrutiny across all enrolled providers — FQHCs should review identity verification, beneficiary attestation, and billing documentation.