INTERNACIONAL
Bombshell report exposes healthcare fraud schemes as taxpayers lose up to $521 billion annually
FIRST ON FOX: House GOP lawmakers are rolling out a slew of new bills after a bombshell report found that hundreds of billions of taxpayer dollars are potentially being targeted by fraudsters every year.
As people across the U.S. are battling high costs that make it hard to make ends meet, a report released Tuesday by the House Energy & Commerce Committee warns that federally subsidized healthcare programs are rife with fraud and abuse — «impacting every single American, in one way or another.»
While no estimate for Medicare and Medicaid fraud exists specifically, the report noted, a 2024 estimate by the Government Accountability Office said $233 billion to $521 billion taxpayer dollars going to federal programs are lost to fraud every year. Federal healthcare programs accounted for 24% of federal spending in 2024, according to the Center on Budget Policy and Priorities.
Medicaid specifically is rife with vulnerabilities making it susceptible to fraud, the report said, which is why House Republicans are rolling out 14 bills aimed at closing loopholes in the system, shrinking bureaucracy, and making it easier for states to recoup lost dollars while also incentivizing them to go after potential fraudsters.
«Taxpayers that fund benefit programs with federal and state taxpayer dollars are cheated by fraud, inflating healthcare costs that are passed along to everyone,» the committee’s report states. «Every dollar stolen from federal health care programs is a dollar that is not spent on high quality healthcare for those that need it most.»
WHITE HOUSE PUSHES ‘WATERSHED’ FRAUD-FIGHTING REFORM IN CONGRESS AS VANCE CONVENES TASK FORCE
«The amount of fraud that the Biden-Harris Administration allowed to go unchecked in government health programs is unacceptable. Every dollar stolen by fraudsters or wasted on improper payments is a dollar that cannot be used to support families in need who rely on these programs,» House Energy & Commerce Committee Chairman Brett Guthrie, R-Ky., told Digital.
REPUBLICANS DECLARE WAR ON ‘ORGANIZED THEFT’ WITH GOVERNMENT FRAUD CRACKDOWN
Republicans’ new bills can be lumped into three categories: legislation aimed at improving identification of fraud in state and federal health programs, legislation aimed at enforcing anti-fraud rules, and legislation to hold states that allow fraud to run rampant accountable.
One bill led by Republican Study Committee Chairman August Pfluger, R-Texas, for example, would force states to designate a single role for internal financial controls of state Medicaid programs.
READ: DR. OZ PUTS ALL 50 GOVERNORS ON NOTICE OVER BILLIONS LOST TO MEDICAID FRAUD
A bill by Rep. Mike Rulli, R-Ohio, would force each state to annually report to the federal government on any potential Medicaid fraud vulnerabilities and their plan to fix it.
And legislation by Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., would require states to check whether someone enrolling for Medicaid was removed from another taxpayer-funded healthcare program.
The report released on Tuesday said that Medicaid spending accounts for an average 30.7% of states’ budgets, and that those outlays have increased exponentially in recent years.
States like New York and California are also projected to see costs spike, the report said.
TOP FEDERAL PROSECUTOR CALLS CALIFORNIA A ‘FRAUDSTER’S PARADISE,’ WARNS STATE OFFICIALS COULD FACE CHARGES
The Golden State is expected to see annual Medi-Cal spending, its state healthcare program, rise from $83 billion per year in 2014 to $219.7 billion by 2027, the report said, adding, «New York is projected to spend 11% more on Medicaid from all funding sources in 2027 — a total of $124 billion.»
The report noted that federal healthcare is ripe for fraud given its size and complexity, as well as the traditional enforcement model of «pay and chase,» which relies on law enforcement to investigate fraud suspicions after a false claim has already been settled.
Provider fraud is also a common area of losing tax dollars, with healthcare providers being known to submit multiple claims for a single service or bill services and equipment for patients that they have never seen at all, the report said.
Transnational criminal groups have also profited from U.S. healthcare fraud, the report said, alleging that hardworking Americans are seeing their tax dollars not only lost to fraud at home but overseas as well.
TRUMP ADMIN’S FRAUD CRACKDOWN TARGETS FOREIGNERS ACCUSED OF INFILTRATING US FEDERAL PROGRAMS
The Department of Justice’s (DOJ) «Operation Gold Rush» uncovered that Russian organized crime actors billed over $10 million in false claims made via 30 medical supply companies they purchased in a years-long scheme, the report said.
It highlighted further foreign healthcare schemes that saw malign actors in Hong Kong, Georgia, Estonia, Pakistan and elsewhere attempt to steal billions more in U.S. taxpayer dollars.
The fraud reports come at a time when millions of Americans across the country are struggling with high living costs that have made it a challenge to make ends meet.
Guthrie said the House GOP legislative package amounted to «commonsense steps» to ensure states can recoup lost fraud dollars and incentivize them to close loopholes in the future.
It comes as the Trump administration is also prioritizing healthcare fraud crackdowns. Vice President JD Vance announced last week that 760,000 enrollees under the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare, would be removed over fraud claims.
politics, bills, health care, health care healthy living, republicans elections, taxes, house of representatives politics
INTERNACIONAL
Trump closing in on new press secretary as administration officials push for pick who could break the mold
EXCLUSIVE: President Donald Trump is closing in on a new press secretary, and administration insiders are advocating for a person who will break the mold
«His name has been brought up to the president by many people,» a source close to the president told Digital Tuesday, referring to conservative commentator Ben Ferguson.
«[Trump’s] instincts are to pick a man,» the source said. «Which many people have told him that’s a good idea.»
The person said Trump intends to choose someone to fill the vacant position soon, and that he values the role of press secretary in the administration.
A second person familiar confirmed Trump is planning to pick a man as his next press secretary and said that Ferguson is a frontrunner.
LEAVITT OPENS UP ON HELPING TRUMP FIND NEW PRESS SECRETARY AFTER ZACHARIA DEBACLE: ‘WAS NOT FOR HER’
The last seven press secretaries, spanning Trump’s second term, former President Joe Biden’s single term and Trump’s first term have all been women. Sean Spicer was the last man to serve in the role. He was Trump’s first press secretary from January 2017 to June of that same year, he was replaced with Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who is now governor of Arkansas.
Ferguson is a conservative commentator who hosts the nationally syndicated radio show, «The Ben Ferguson Show.» He’s also a political commentator on CNN.
But Trump is still weighing his options.
«POTUS is not sold on the idea,» the source said of Ferguson. «I think it’s safe to say [Ferguson is] pursuing the job and the president is aware.»
Scott Jennings, the conservative CNN contributor who frequently appears on «Newsnight with Abby Phillip» who worked in former President George W. Bush’s administration, is also in the running for the job.
«The president keeps going back and forth on Scott Jennings,» the source said, but added, «I don’t think it will happen.»
A few other names have floated around but not emerged as clear picks for the job — this includes White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, Breitbart chief Matthew Boyle and Ari Fleischer, who was White House press secretary during President George W. Bush’s first term.
Many woman have also made the short list, but the two sources who spoke with Digital insist the next person to hold the job will likely be a man.
ALINA HABBA SHUTS DOWN SPECULATION SHE COULD REPLACE KAROLINE LEAVITT AS WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY
Ferguson has support from within the Trump administration, Digital has learned.
«Ben is one of loudest supporters of President Trump in the 21st century,» a senior White House official told Digital. «While many supporters don’t have the courage to take to the fake news, Ben consistently walks into the lion’s den and faces the media bias head on.»
The official said Ferguson runs circles around some people who are currently paid to defend Trump.
JEN PSAKI MOCKS TRUMP’S NEW PRESS SECRETARY, QUESTIONS IF SHE’S A ‘POTENTIALLY FAKE LAWYER’
«His resumé and experience are exactly what the administration will need when they face a Congress hell bent on dismantling our efforts to Make America Great Again,» the official continued.
Another Trump administration official echoed that sentiment, claiming, «Ben has always been a skilled and talented commentator.»
«He and Scott are screamed at by the radical left everyday as they defend the President to a hostile audience,» the official said, adding that the hostility the pair face on cable news is not unlike what they would face standing behind the podium in the White House press briefing room.
«The President needs a tireless, talented communicator at the podium who’ll relay his success for the nation and how he’ll be a bulwark against Democrats’ attempts to dismantle our Republic,» the official said.
The White House has been without a press secretary since Oct. 13, when Katie Zacharia left the job at Trump’s urging after only a week.
Zacharia’s brief tenure was marked by controversy over her claims to be an attorney and a disastrous press conference that lasted only 14 minutes and was widely condemned as a train wreck.
She was selected to replaced Karoline Leavitt at the podium after the former press secretary served as a Trump-world powerhouse through the 2024 campaign and into his first year-and-a-half back in office.
Leavitt resigned from the post in August after returning from maternity leave, citing a desire to spend more time with her growing family.
white house, politics, donald trump, fox news media, executive
Atender a una persona con diabetes sin complicaciones cuesta cerca de USD 1,000 en El Salvador, según datos de la Federación Internacional de Diabetes citados por Patricia Argueta de Cativo durante una entrevista en el programa radial El corre corre.
La especialista en prevención y educación para la salud explicó que esa estimación corresponde a información reportada dos años antes de la entrevista y se refiere al manejo de pacientes sin complicaciones. Advirtió que el impacto económico aumenta cuando aparecen daños asociados a la enfermedad y que el costo también recae en las familias, sobre todo cuando una persona enferma deja de trabajar.
Argueta de Cativo sostuvo que el sistema de salud salvadoreño debe destinar mayores esfuerzos a la prevención. Afirmó que detectar la enfermedad a tiempo puede disminuir las complicaciones y reducir la carga para los hospitales, las familias y el presupuesto público.
Prevención y atención temprana
La especialista planteó que El Salvador tiene recursos económicos limitados y que prevenir resulta menos costoso que atender casos avanzados. Señaló que el sistema sanitario debe fortalecer las acciones de educación, la detección temprana y el seguimiento médico antes de que los pacientes lleguen a los hospitales con insuficiencia renal, cetoacidosis diabética u otros cuadros graves.
También dijo que el cuidado de la salud no debe recaer solo en el sistema sanitario. Según expuso, la prevención involucra a las personas, las familias y la sociedad, porque las decisiones cotidianas sobre alimentación, actividad física, descanso y consultas médicas inciden en el riesgo de desarrollar la enfermedad.
Síntomas y daños progresivos
Argueta de Cativo definió la diabetes como la permanencia de niveles altos de glucosa, o azúcar, en la sangre durante períodos prolongados. Explicó que esa elevación puede causar daños graduales en nervios, vasos sanguíneos, corazón, ojos y riñones.
La entrevistada señaló que los síntomas pueden tardar en aparecer o confundirse con situaciones cotidianas. Entre las señales mencionó el cansancio, la necesidad frecuente de orinar, la sed persistente y el aumento del hambre. Algunas personas, indicó, atribuyen esos cambios al calor, al trabajo u otras causas y retrasan la consulta médica.
También citó la pérdida de peso sin haber iniciado una dieta ni una rutina de ejercicio, así como la visión borrosa. En este último caso, explicó que hay pacientes que consultan con un oftalmólogo cuando ya existe una afectación relacionada con la diabetes.
Las cifras sobre diabetes en El Salvador
Durante el programa se indicó que 463,300 adultos viven con diabetes en El Salvador y que el 23.2% desconoce que tiene la enfermedad. Los conductores precisaron que esas cifras corresponden a 2024.
Argueta de Cativo consideró necesario contar con datos más actualizados sobre la situación nacional. Dijo que las tendencias disponibles son preocupantes porque, a su juicio, muestran un aumento de los casos.
La especialista añadió que el rango de edad de los diagnósticos se ha ampliado. Mencionó que ya se identifica diabetes en personas menores de 20 años y en adolescentes, una situación que relacionó con los cambios en el estilo de vida y la alimentación.
Factores de riesgo y alimentación
La entrevistada explicó que tener familiares con diabetes representa un factor de riesgo, especialmente cuando la enfermedad está presente en la madre o el padre. Aclaró que ese antecedente no determina que una persona desarrollará diabetes, aunque debe servir como advertencia para aumentar los cuidados y mantener controles médicos.
Argueta de Cativo también habló sobre la prediabetes. Indicó que hay una etapa en la que los niveles de glucosa ya están elevados, aunque todavía no se cumplen todas las condiciones para el diagnóstico de diabetes. Añadió que algunos médicos evitan usar ese término porque puede llevar a las personas a pensar que aún no tienen un problema y a postergar cambios en sus hábitos.
Sobre la alimentación, sostuvo que prevenir no significa únicamente eliminar el azúcar. Recomendó una dieta balanceada, con alimentos frescos, vegetales y frutas en porciones adecuadas, y advirtió sobre el consumo frecuente de productos azucarados y harinas refinadas.
La especialista explicó que algunos alimentos, aunque no sean dulces, pueden convertirse en azúcar dentro del organismo. Mencionó el pan blanco o pan francés como ejemplo de un producto elaborado con harina refinada. También dijo que los artículos promocionados como “sin azúcar” no deben consumirse sin control ni sustituir una alimentación equilibrada.
Hábitos, actividad física y controles
Argueta de Cativo vinculó el aumento de los casos con cambios en las rutinas. Dijo que la población realiza menos actividad física, utiliza más tecnología y consume con mayor frecuencia bebidas azucaradas, dulces y productos procesados. Recordó que antes las gaseosas se asociaban más con celebraciones, mientras que ahora forman parte de las compras habituales de muchas familias.
La especialista agregó que el estrés, el descanso y la calidad del sueño pueden intervenir en los niveles de glucosa. Según explicó, esos factores, mantenidos durante períodos prolongados, pueden afectar la salud.
Como medidas de prevención, recomendó cuidar la alimentación, incorporar actividad física frecuente y asistir a controles médicos periódicos. Para una persona sana, sin molestias aparentes, sugirió acudir a consulta una o dos veces al año. En esas evaluaciones, el médico puede revisar peso, talla y otros parámetros, además de indicar exámenes como la medición de glucosa en ayunas.
Monitoreo y principales complicaciones
La entrevistada destacó que los glucómetros y los sensores de monitoreo continuo pueden ayudar a conocer los niveles de glucosa. Sin embargo, señaló que no basta con medirse: también es necesario interpretar los resultados para identificar por qué se elevan y tomar decisiones.
Argueta de Cativo explicó que el glucómetro tradicional requiere una punción en el dedo para obtener una gota de sangre, que se coloca en una tira reactiva conectada al dispositivo. Los sensores continuos, en cambio, permiten registrar la glucosa de forma constante sin realizar pinchazos frecuentes.
La especialista reiteró que la diabetes puede afectar nervios, vasos sanguíneos, corazón, riñones y vista. Sobre el pie diabético, explicó que el daño en nervios y vasos sanguíneos puede provocar pérdida de sensibilidad, especialmente en los pies, por lo que una persona podría no advertir una lesión.
Estas heridas pueden tardar en cicatrizar y requerir tratamientos prolongados. Argueta de Cativo advirtió que, sin atención oportuna y un abordaje adecuado, el pie diabético puede terminar en amputación.
glucómetro,diabetes,glucosa,control glucémico
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Riot-torn France struggles with chaos at home as Macron eyes military mission thousands of miles away
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French President Emmanuel Macron is pushing ahead with plans for a new European military presence in Lebanon while struggling with mounting political and economic turmoil at home, even as the initiative encounters resistance from a key European partner and Washington considers an alternative that may not require troops.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio confirmed that he had discussed the future of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) with Macron, suggesting that a replacement monitoring mechanism could be civilian rather than military.
«It doesn’t have to be a military mission. It could be a civilian mission,» Rubio said in remarks published Tuesday.
Rubio explained that the administration is seeking a credible mechanism to verify arrangements under which Israeli forces withdraw from designated areas, the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) assume control and the Iran-backed terrorist group Hezbollah is prevented from returning.
RUBIO ANNOUNCES FRAMEWORK DEAL BETWEEN ISRAEL AND LEBANON AS EXPERTS WARN IRAN WILL FIGHT TO SABOTAGE IT
Soldiers from the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon UNIFIL attend a ceremony marking the International Day of UN Peacekeepers in Naqoura, Lebanon, May 29, 2025. (Ali Hashisho/Xinhua via Getty Images)
He suggested France could play a constructive role but emphasized that any arrangement would require agreement from both Lebanon and Israel.
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz also made clear that Washington has no intention of preserving the existing peacekeeping mission.
«UNIFIL in its current form will not continue, and it must not continue — we are working with our international partners to draw down the mission and ensure that the Lebanese people can choose their own future and to ensure that the Lebanese Armed Forces can secure the nation’s future,» Waltz told Fox News Digital.
MACRON UNDER FIRE OVER IRAN, HEZBOLLAH POLICY AS TRUMP ADMIN HOSTS ISRAEL-LEBANON TALKS
French President Emmanuel Macron reviews the troops during his visit to the nuclear submarine navy base of Ile Longue in Crozon, France, March 2, 2026 (Yoan Valat /Pool via Reuters)
The French initiative, meanwhile, envisions a multinational force potentially involving thousands of European troops to support the Lebanese army as UNIFIL prepares to end its nearly five-decade mission. The proposed force’s final size, mandate and participating countries remain unconfirmed.
However, Italy, which previously joined France in calling for an international coalition following UNIFIL’s withdrawal, does not support deploying its troops under the proposal currently advanced by Paris, three sources with knowledge of the discussions told Fox News Digital.
The initiative comes as Macron faces growing domestic pressure, with France experiencing widespread demonstrations over rising living costs, wages and deteriorating public services.
The unrest has further complicated the government’s efforts to pass its 2027 budget, as mounting debt and political divisions limit its room to maneuver, Reuters reported Nov. 5.
Against that backdrop, France’s proposed deployment raises questions about the financial and military resources Paris could commit to another overseas mission, particularly without firm support from its European partners.
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen, senior envoy for Europe at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, argued that replacing UNIFIL with another international military force risks repeating the shortcomings of the existing mission.
«UNIFIL’s mandate should end as scheduled. Hezbollah built up its military presence in southern Lebanon with international peacekeepers already on the ground. Keeping troops there under a new mandate would repeat an approach that failed to prevent that buildup. The basis for what comes next should be the U.S.-brokered agreement Israel and Lebanon reached in June. France can help both sides put it into practice and move further,» Rodan-Benzaquen told Fox News Digital.
FRANCE IS DEVOURING ITSELF AS SCHOOL RIOTS REVEAL A CRISIS FAR BIGGER THAN BROKEN CLASSROOMS
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sits with France’s Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot during the G7 foreign ministers summit at the Quai d’Orsay in Paris to discuss support for Ukraine and stabilization efforts in the Middle East. Nov. 9, 2026. (Christophe Petit Tesson / POOL / AFP via Getty Images)
The question of who would conduct such inspections has already proved contentious.
The United States and Israel had previously opposed France serving as a third-party verifier of Hezbollah’s disarmament, according to an Aug. 7 Reuters report citing Lebanese officials and foreign diplomats. A Lebanese official also told Reuters that Beirut had rejected an earlier proposal involving private security companies.
The challenges extend beyond diplomatic disagreements.
According to a Congressional Research Service assessment updated November 9, Hezbollah continues to refuse disarmament while Israeli forces maintain positions in southern Lebanon.
IS THE IRAN-BACKED TERRORIST MOVEMENT HEZBOLLAH ON THE ROPES IN LEBANON?
A protester holds a rock to throw at police as a kiosk burns during a demonstration near Place de la République, as the Gilets Jaunes join students for a weekend of action on October 17, 2026, in Paris, France. (Carl Court/Getty Images)
A U.S.-brokered framework agreement reached in June linked a phased Israeli withdrawal to the verified disarmament of armed groups and the deployment of Lebanese forces. But implementation has stalled beyond the initial pilot areas, and negotiations in October ended without agreement.
Rather than committing additional troops, Rodan-Benzaquen argued that Paris should focus on using its diplomatic influence to strengthen the Lebanese government’s efforts to disarm Hezbollah.
«France’s greatest leverage is notably in Beirut. The Lebanese cabinet has already outlawed Hezbollah’s military activity. Paris should work with the Lebanese government to press disarming Hezbollah. Israel needs credible evidence that Hezbollah cannot return to an area its troops are eventually leaving. Beirut needs confidence that once its army secures that area, the agreed Israeli withdrawal will eventually follow. That is where French diplomacy can make a difference.»
The debate follows the August 2025 Security Council resolution extending UNIFIL’s mandate for a final time, until December 31, 2026, with an orderly withdrawal authorized over the following year.
Washington backed terminating the mission amid longstanding concerns about its inability to prevent Hezbollah from maintaining a military presence in southern Lebanon. France, by contrast, has warned against leaving a security vacuum.
PENTAGON HOSTS FIRST-EVER ISRAELI–LEBANESE MILITARY TALKS AIMED AT CURBING HEZBOLLAH
United Nations peacekeeping force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) vehicles drive along the main road leading to Lebanon’s southern town of Naqura close to the border with Israel on October 27, 2022. (Photo by Mahmoud Zayyat/ AFP/Getty Images)
In a previous Security Council statement, the French Mission to the U.N. said: «France will support UNIFIL until the expiration of its mandate. It will contribute to defining the future international engagement in Lebanon, in support of its sovereignty and the implementation of resolution 1701.»
U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric told Fox News Digital that Secretary-General António Guterres presented three options for a future U.N. presence in June, but the Security Council has not formally selected one.
He added that the U.N. is aware of discussions about a possible non-U.N. military presence in southern Lebanon but is not directly involved in those negotiations.
With UNIFIL’s mandate approaching expiration, France faces the challenge of securing agreement not only on which countries would contribute personnel, but also on what those forces would be authorized to do in a country where Hezbollah remains armed and Israeli troops have yet to fully withdraw.
A member of the Spanish UNIFIL peacekeeper forces stands in front of the rubble of destroyed buildings during a patrol in the southern Lebanese village of Borj El Mlouk, near the border with Israel, on January 7, 2025. (ANWAR AMRO/AFP via Getty Images)
The Italian government has not responded to Fox News Digital’s request for comment. Requests for comment were also sent to the State Department, Spanish and Lebanese authorities.
france, emmanuel macron, united nations, lebanon, peacekeeping
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