This is Representative Quentin Chapman of Auburn with the Weekly Republican Address.
There’s a moment in every scandal when the truth can no longer be buried.
For MaineCare — that moment is now.
The nation’s top Medicaid official, Dr. Mehmet Oz, said it plainly this week:
“There will be no more gaming the system.”
And he’s right.
Because what we are seeing in Maine is not just mismanagement — it is a systemic failure of oversight, accountability, and basic responsibility to the people this program is supposed to protect.
Let’s be clear about what just happened.
A single provider — Paradise Residential Services — billed taxpayers nearly $16 million.
They charged more than twice the national average.
They ranked in the top 5 percent in the entire country for cost per claim.
And behind those numbers?
Allegations of neglect.
Failure to train staff.
Billing for services not delivered.
Even reports of vulnerable individuals going months without basic care.
That is not just fraud.
As Dr. Oz said:
“It’s a betrayal of vulnerable patients and families.”
And here’s the most troubling part —
These warnings weren’t hidden.
They weren’t hard to find.
They were ignored.
While this was happening, the Mills Administration wasn’t fixing the problem —
they were asking Washington for more time.
More time to respond.
More time to explain.
More time while millions of taxpayer dollars continued to flow out the door.
That request was denied.
Because in Washington, the message has changed:
Accountability is no longer optional.
Instead of addressing the substance, the Governor attacked the messenger — calling this a political exercise.
But this is not political.
This is about whether government works for the people —
or whether it protects a broken system.
And the facts are undeniable:
$46 million in improper payments identified in just one program.
Now another multi-million dollar provider exposed.
A pattern of “pay first, verify later.”
That is not oversight.
That is negligence.
And Mainers are paying for it — twice.
Once with their tax dollars.
And again when vulnerable individuals are failed by the very system meant to serve them.
So let me be clear:
This must end.
We need real audits.
Real enforcement.
Real consequences for fraud and abuse.
Because every dollar stolen is a dollar taken from someone who truly needs care.
The jig is up.
The excuses are over.
And the people of Maine deserve a government that protects them — not a system that can be gamed.
This has been Representative Quentin Chapman with the Weekly Republican Radio Address. Thank you for listening, subscribing, sharing and following us on Facebook, X, TikTok, and Instagram.
PEACE!
