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The battle over DOGE access to information from the Department of the Treasury, including the Centers forMedicareand Medicaid Services (CMS), is just beginning. The government's official goals with this move are pretty clear, but the consequences also seem obvious, and not all are positive.
On Friday, February 8, District Judge Paul Engelmayer blocked the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from accessing US Treasury payment information. Engelmayer cited the risk of hacking sensitive information as the reason for his decision.
There has been no response yet from the White House or the Elon Musk-led DOGE. However, since granting access to payment information, the CMS explained that the goal was to meet President Donald Trump's goals of "See where there may be opportunities for more effective and efficient use of resources."
DOGE's goals
DOGE's official purpose is to reduce unnecessary and fraudulent federal spending and eliminate excessive regulations. However, activists, lawmakers, and analysts are concerned about possible leaks or misuse of sensitive information on welfare program beneficiaries.
In this regard, a Wall Street Journal (WSJ) report revealed that DOGE's access to this information is "read-only." It also does not have access to identifiable health information on Medicare or Medicaid beneficiaries.
In a controversial message on X (formerly Twitter), Musk wrote "Yeah, this is where the big money fraud is happening," referring to information about the CMS revealed by the WSJ and the Government ability Office (GAO), DOGE's predecessor.
Is there fraud in Medicare and Medicaid?
GAO data revealed that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) made $100 billion in "improper payments" in fiscal year 2023. According to the investigation, these payments were either incorrect or should not have been made at all.
The GAO recommended strengthening government systems to prevent improper payments, which could include billing errors, fraud, and/or overpayments. This is DOGE's official goal, but access to sensitive information on Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries poses a risk to people's privacy.