An audit from the HHS Office of the Inspector General estimates California improperly claimed at least $23.1 million in Medicaid reimbursement for opioid treatment services.
Opioid treatment programs provide medication and counseling services for people diagnosed with an opioid use disorder, according to the report released April 22. The audit examined a random sample of claims made from January 2018 through December 2019. California received $259.8 million in federal reimbursements during that span.
The audit found that some services did not meet federal and state requirements. Unallowable services included unsupported counseling services, noncompliant take-home medications and excessive frequency of counseling services.
The Office of the Inspector General recommends California refund the $23.1 million to the federal government and take steps to address the identified deficiencies.