Data shows Iowa spends less than peer states on Medicaid fraud, abuse investigations
New data suggests Iowa continues to understaff and underfund the office charged with investigating Medicaid fraud and patient abuse.
All 50 states have a Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, or MFCU, that is tasked with investigating abuse and neglect of Medicaid beneficiaries as well as financial fraud perpetrated by Medicaidfunded medical providers. Like Medicaid itself, the MFCU’s operations are paid for with a mix of state and federal funding.
Collectively, the nation’s MFCUs recover $3.35 for every tax dollar they spend, usually through civil penalties that stem from fraud investigations. A new report from the Office of Inspector
General at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says that last year, the MFCUs recovered a total of $1.2 billion for taxpayers and secured 329 convictions for patient abuse or neglect.
Iowa spend far less on fraud control than most states with similar Medicaid budgets
How much each state spends on its fraud control unit generally has some correlation to the amount it spends on Medicaid. Historically, however, Iowa has provided far less funding for its MFCU than states with comparable Medicaid spending.
According to the latest data from the National Association of Medicaid Fraud Control Units, five states in 2022 had Medicaid budgets within $1.5 billion of the $8 billion Iowa Medicaid spent that year. All of those states had MFCUs with budgets that were two to four times that of Iowa’s unit.
In fact, some states with far smaller Medicaid budgets than Iowa spend significantly more on their fraud control units. Indiana, for example, spent only $2.9 billion on Medicaid in 2022, according to the association, which was less than half of what Iowa spent that year. But Indiana allocated $8.4 million for its Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, which was more than six times the $1.3 million Iowa provided for such operations.
According to the association, Arkansas’ total spending on Medicaid was
But typically, May is when bodies of water in Iowa have a chance to consistently warm up.
April is “tricky” because while it might be a warm day, the temperature of the water is still cold. If you don’t want to worry about water temperature, wait until early June, Robertson advised. That’s when there will have been enough consistent sunlight.
How can I check the temperature of a body of water in Iowa?
The general rule for Robertson and the paddlers he is out with during the early spring and late fall — when the water is cold — is water temperatures 60 degrees or less automatically put you at risk for hypothermia. The colder the water, the higher the risk.
Cold water can drain body heat up to four times faster than cold air, according to the National Weather Service. It can also cause “cold shock,” which is just as dangerous from water temperatures at 50-60 degrees versus water at 35 degrees. Cold shock causes dramatic changes in breathing, heart rate and blood pressure, and it creates a greater risk for drowning, according to the National Weather Service.
But paddlers should also account for other factors such as the wind, Robertson said. Get wet? That wind will only exacerbate the cold. Will it be overcast, or sunny out?
Find information about water temperature through resources including:
The National Weather Service’s water temperature map, which tracks daily temperatures in regions of the central U.S., including in Iowa.
Iowa’s fishing report on the Iowa DNR’s website also provides some information regarding water temperatures in Iowa.
Or, give a nearby bait shop a call, Robertson said, describing bait shops as a great source of information that could inform you on a body of water’s temperature.
What are some safety tips for paddles in Iowa?
Dress for the chance you’ll get wet and opt for a wetsuit or a drysuit, Robertson said. He also recommends having a change of clothing that you can access and get out of your wet, cold clothing as soon as possible.
Paddlers out on the water should also be aware of, and avoid, an obstruction of debris called strainers. Like a spaghetti strainer, these piles of wood out on the water can catch you, and though water can keep flowing, you may end up flipped and sucked beneath, Robertson explained. These are the No. 1 hazard — and if you do end up plunged into cold water because of a strainer, that can affect your finger dexterity and movement, he said, which can affect your ability to remove yourself from a dangerous situation.
Other safety tips from Robertson and the Iowa DNR:
Always wear a life jacket Paddle in groups of people, not alone
Tell a loved one where you are going and when you are expected to return