| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 10, 2026 Contact: Team Saritha Email: Press@ |
| Komatireddy Announces Plan to Recover $1 Billion in Stolen Medicaid Dollars and Issue a Tax Refund to New Yorkers |
| NEW YORK, NY — Citing new federal findings that ranked New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit among the nation’s worst performers, crime-fighting New York attorney general candidate Saritha Komatireddy today announced a major initiative to recover at least $1 billion in stolen Medicaid funds during her first term and return those dollars directly to New Yorkers through a tax refund. The announcement comes after New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit failed recertification and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General suspended federal funding, citing years of poor performance. An analysis released this week by the Empire Center found that New York ranked near the bottom nationally in Medicaid fraud investigations, indictments, and convictions under Letitia James’ leadership — 49th in investigations and 51st in indictments and convictions (the analysis included the 50 states and the District of Columbia). “Every dollar stolen from Medicaid is a dollar stolen from New York taxpayers, and means that patients, seniors, and children in New York have been deprived of critical medical care,” Komatireddy said. “For too long, Albany has accepted fraud and neglect as the cost of doing business. I don’t. We are going to investigate more cases, prosecute more criminals, recover more stolen money, and return those savings to the hardworking New Yorkers who paid the bill in the first place.” Komatireddy pledged to:Add 20 criminal prosecutors to the New York Medicaid Fraud Control Unit to ramp up the state’s enforcement efforts and make the unit #1 in the country .Recover at least $1 billion in stolen Medicaid dollars during her first term. Create a Crime Tax Refund that returns recovered state Medicaid fraud proceeds directly to New Yorkers through tax relief. “New Yorkers are getting ripped off every day, and Letitia James isn’t doing anything about it. When I’m attorney general, I’ll criminally prosecute Medicaid fraud, recover more than $1 billion in stolen taxpayer money, and give it back to the taxpayers. The reality is, under Letitia James, New Yorkers have been paying a crime tax — I’ll prosecute crime and issue a tax refund.” Komatireddy also noted the thousands of New York patients whose complaints have gone unanswered. The Inspector General’s detailed report indicated that the AG’s office received more than 2,000 patient abuse and neglect complaints a year and came away with only one or two criminal convictions. The Komatireddy campaign offered a forum for victims to be heard— if you or your family member is one of those patients, and you wish to share your story, please contact the campaign at press@sarithafornewyork.com. |
| To learn more about Saritha Komatireddy’s campaign for New York Attorney General, visit SarithaForNewYork.com. |